AI Music Hoax Exposed: The Velvet Sundown Admits to Artificial Creation After Spotify Blow-Up

In one of the most bizarre turns in music this year, The Velvet Sundown, a mysterious band that rapidly gained over 500,000 monthly Spotify listeners, has officially been exposed as an AI-generated art hoax, following a bombshell Rolling Stone interview with a spokesperson from the project.

The so-called band, whose lo-fi, ‘70s-inspired psych-rock songs like “Dust on the Wind” appeared on Spotify and Apple Music out of nowhere in June 2025, has been under scrutiny for weeks. With AI-tinted promotional images, fabricated band bios, and almost zero digital footprint, the internet suspected something was off. According to Music Ally, most of Velvet Sundown’s playlist placements originated from just four Spotify accounts, raising red flags around manipulation. Streaming service Deezer even added a disclaimer stating “some tracks on this album may have been created using artificial intelligence.”

Now, in a statement to Rolling Stone, pseudonymous spokesperson Andrew Frelon has confirmed the band used AI music generator Suno, calling the project a “marketing stunt” and “art hoax.” Frelon revealed that parts of the tracks were built using Suno’s “Persona” feature, allowing consistent vocal styles, though he remained vague on which songs were AI-made. “It’s trolling. People didn’t care before, but now we’re in Rolling Stone,” he said.

The band had previously denied AI use on X, calling claims “lazy” and insisting their music was made in a “cramped bungalow in California.” But further analysis from MusicRadar and The Music pointed out inconsistencies in their visuals, like duplicated fingers and AI-generated faces.

As AI tools like Suno and Udio become more advanced, the Velvet Sundown case raises major questions about AI music ethics, playlist fraud, and how easily fabricated bands can gain traction on streaming services.

With fake listeners and fake music on the rise, The Velvet Sundown may be the first of many to test the boundaries of what’s “real” in the music industry.