I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: The Music Composition Blog has been honored by Feedspot as one of the Top 20 Music Composition Blogs & News Websites to Follow in 2025, securing the #7 spot on their prestigious list. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to providing valuable insights and resources to the music composition community.(Feedspot – 20 Best Compositions Blogs)
Feedspot’s list highlights blogs that consistently deliver high-quality content, and being included among such esteemed company is truly humbling. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Anuj Agarwal and the entire Feedspot team for this acknowledgment.
Over the years, The Music Composition Blog has aimed to be a hub for composers, musicians, and enthusiasts alike. We’ve explored topics ranging from the fusion of classical pieces with unconventional instruments, as in my composition “Clair De Lune with Tibetan Bowls” , to discussions on the evolving landscape of music and technology . Our goal has always been to inspire and inform, bridging the gap between traditional composition techniques and modern innovations.(Clair De Lune with Tibetan Bowls)
This recognition motivates us to continue our mission of sharing knowledge, fostering creativity, and supporting the ever-evolving world of music composition. Thank you to all our readers and supporters for being part of this journey.
Warm regards,
Dr. David Mitchell
Composer, Educator, and Director of Education at the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media
In recent years, the intersection of AI and music has ignited spirited debates around creativity, authenticity, and—of utmost concern to artists—compensation. YouTube’s experimental Dream Track AI feature exemplifies how these technologies can shape both the future of music and the income landscape for creators. At its core, Dream Track uses artificial intelligence to generate short soundtracks in the distinctive styles of participating artists, from Demi Lovato to T-Pain, allowing creators to infuse their YouTube Shorts with personalized soundscapes. This feature showcases a fresh opportunity for artists to reach audiences and offers a revenue model that blends passive income with artistic integrity.
Dream Track AI isn’t simply a novel tool; it represents a nascent paradigm where artists can profit from the expanding applications of AI. Each artist involved in Dream Track has entered into a compensation agreement with YouTube, receiving payment whenever their vocal style or likeness is utilized in AI-generated tracks. This model opens the door to a future where artists, whether household names or emerging talents, can earn royalties every time their voice, likeness, or musical style is utilized in AI compositions. This is the digital music industry’s response to the era of passive income, a model that could create durable, scalable revenue for musicians as AI-generated content becomes increasingly popular.
AI Collaboration: The Path to Passive Income
For participating artists, Dream Track AI creates an unprecedented opportunity to generate passive income. Historically, artists primarily earned revenue through live performances, album sales, or streams—each directly tied to their immediate input or physical presence. Now, thanks to Dream Track, artists can license their voice and style, creating revenue streams independent of new content releases or tours.
Imagine an artist who wants to step back from the relentless cycle of touring or recording yet still wants to maintain a connection to their fans. With AI-powered platforms like Dream Track, they could potentially enjoy royalties indefinitely, as users engage with their voice or style in various contexts. AI collaboration redefines what it means to “perform,” extending the artist’s reach and generating income in ways that are increasingly flexible.
YouTube, keenly aware of its role as a gatekeeper in this brave new world, has embraced AI principles that emphasize transparency and compensation. These policies are designed to protect artists from exploitation and ensure that their unique contributions are honored—both in recognition and in revenue.
Protecting Artists with New Legislation
While the potential for AI-based income is exciting, it’s also fraught with ethical and legal challenges. Many artists have raised concerns about unauthorized AI-generated uses of their voice or likeness—a stance underscored by recent legal measures. A landmark example is Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, a law that prohibits the replication of an artist’s voice without their permission. This legislation, named after one of music’s most iconic voices, reflects a growing trend to safeguard artists from unwanted AI-generated reproductions and establishes a legal basis for protecting their rights.
Furthermore, organizations like SAG-AFTRA have negotiated agreements with AI developers to ensure voice actors are compensated for the use of their digitally recreated voices. These agreements often include session fees and ongoing royalties, acknowledging that while AI may be performing the labor, it’s the artist’s essence—their voice, their style—that is ultimately on display.
Such laws and agreements don’t just prevent misuse; they empower artists. By licensing their work for AI use, artists can exercise control over their brand while tapping into new income streams. AI-generated work doesn’t have to replace artists; instead, it can amplify their reach and extend their revenue potential in ways they control.
Paving the Way for an Artist-Centric Future
The Dream Track AI experiment could serve as a blueprint for a future where artists don’t just protect their intellectual property—they thrive financially from it. Imagine if every time a music fan customized a favorite song, adjusted a style, or used an artist’s vocal timbre in their own creative projects, the original artist received compensation. This new income model could soon expand beyond YouTube, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and even traditional streaming services exploring similar possibilities.
In the meantime, the message is clear: the combination of AI innovation and artist protection laws is opening new doors for musicians. Dream Track AI demonstrates that these technologies can enhance the music industry rather than undermine it, creating a harmonious blend of artistry and technology where artists are rewarded, audiences are delighted, and creativity remains at the heart of it all. This is not merely a speculative future—it’s a transformative moment where the artist, finally, is in control of both their art and their income.
By embracing this vision, we can shape an industry where AI amplifies the artist’s presence, respects their work, and supports their livelihood in new, sustainable ways. In this artist-centric future, creativity is not just celebrated; it’s compensated, generating passive income that honors the integrity of the artist and the limitless potential of the music they inspire.
I was interviewed by RoydenD’Souza with Al Jazeera TV about AI and music. He found me through the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media blog. We covered a lot of interesting topics including music composition, audio production and the future of the music industry in the era of AI. Please share and let me know what you think.
AI is changing music creation, but could it displace artists? Al Jazeera's Samantha Johnson explains. pic.twitter.com/lGVvXsxymy
The rapid advancement of AI has sparked vigorous debate about its impact on the music industry. While some see its generative capabilities as threatening, I believe AI presents opportunities to empower artists and to help them connect with fans in new ways. However, protections must be in place to safeguard artists’ rights.
As an independent artist myself, I’m excited by AI’s potential to democratize music creation. Emergent tools can help artists expand our sound palettes and reach a wider fan base typically only accessible by artists signed to major labels. Rights holders like Universal Music Group (UMG) stand to profit too by licensing their catalogs. But they must ensure fair revenue sharing so independent artists thrive. UMG is working with Google owned YouTube and its new Content ID software to responsibly make its vast catalog available to independent artists through its new text-to-music software, MusicLM.
AI-generated content also exposes risks if platforms don’t protect artists’ rights. Musicians should control where and how their work is used. Services like YouTube must expand copyright protections and give us tools to manage AI use of our catalogs.
I recently shared some of my own experimentation with AI music generators on the Human Driven AI podcast. This conversation includes music samples and the prompts used to create them, as well as discussions around the opportunities and limitations of AI music generators.
The music industry weathered disruption from Napster by ultimately embracing change. With care and vision, AI can fuel a new creative renaissance. As an independent artist, I’m cautiously optimistic about collaborating with AI in ways that are artist-empowering. But we must stay vigilant in safeguarding our rights and artistic intentions.
What opportunities or risks do you see AI presenting for the music industry? I welcome perspectives from fellow artists as we navigate this unfolding technology together. There are challenges ahead but also much potential for creative innovation. By joining in constructive dialogue, we can shape an AI-powered future that serves all artists.
As an independent musician, I’m excited to learn about new legislation introduced by Representative Deborah Ross that will support the rights of artists like myself. The revised Protect Working Musicians Act (PWMA) aims to give independent artists more bargaining power when negotiating with major streaming platforms and AI developers. According to congress.gov, “This bill allows certain individual music creator owners to collectively negotiate music licensing terms with dominant online music distribution platforms. Individual music creator owners include musicians, producers, and technicians who own the copyright to a recording and either (1) earned less than $1 million in associated revenues during the prior year, or (2) qualify as a record production and distribution small business”.
For too long, independent artists have struggled to earn a fair wage from streaming services like Spotify. The market dominance of these tech giants makes it incredibly difficult for small artists to negotiate fair rates. This bill would allow indie artists to join together and collectively bargain for better compensation. No longer could Spotify or Apple Music ignore the demands of independent creators.
The explosion of AI music applications poses similar problems. Many AI companies use music without proper licensing or compensation. By banding together, independent artists could ensure our work is not exploited by unregulated AI. This technology holds great promise, but progress should not come at the expense of creative professionals.
As both a musician and composer, I understand we must embrace new innovations. But as we pave the road ahead, we cannot leave independent artists behind. Organizations like the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) and Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) are right to endorse this legislation. I encourage all artists and music lovers to add their voices in support as well. Please consider joining these organizations and supporting this legislation.
The future brings many wonders, but music will always be created by human performers, composers, and technicians. Our art and livelihoods must be protected. I applaud Representative Ross for introducing a bill that defends the rights of working musicians. Let’s work together to see it passed into law.
The Music Composition Blog 