Stick Figure, a reggae band founded by Scott Woodruff in the mid-2000s, has garnered billions of streams over eight albums as an independent act. Based in San Diego and Lake Tahoe, the band has developed a successful touring career. In 2022, Billboard recognized Stick Figure as the world’s top-selling living reggae artist.
Unexpectedly, the altered version of the band’s 2019 single, ‘Angels Above Me,’ went viral as ‘Run Run River.’ The AI-manipulated track featured a sped-up lead vocal and a dance-music drumbeat, hitting No. 2 on Shazam, with tens of millions of plays across streaming services and social media platforms. Yet, Stick Figure was not credited, and someone profited significantly from its viral success. Woodruff expressed frustration over the lack of credit and the royalties lost to unauthorized use.
The rise of AI-manipulated music presents challenges for musicians, recording labels, and streaming services. The ability to modify and distribute music at scale without credit has become increasingly viable. Some streaming platforms and social media networks struggle to address fraudulent activities, while others embrace the practice with legal guidelines. Stick Figure’s team, including Ineffable Music’s Thomas Cussins, worked to redirect attention to the original artist and remove the fake track from platforms.
“AI-generated music is now far from a marginal phenomenon,” stated Deezer’s CEO, Alexis Lanternier. “We hope the whole music ecosystem will join us in taking action to help safeguard artists’ rights and promote transparency for fans.”
Several artists, including Stick Figure, have seen AI-driven content impact their reputation and revenue streams. Illegal AI music distorts the user experience and can divert royalties to non-legitimate actors. An example of this fraudulent practice involves Michael Smith, who plead guilty to wire fraud after streaming over 100,000 AI-generated tracks, making $8 million in royalties.
The proliferation of AI music raises concerns regarding the misuse of technology and its potential erosion of artists’ rights. Björn Lindvall noted that the capacity to produce music by AI could lead to an oversaturation of digital content. This saturation necessitates a robust identification system to trace credit back to original creators.
Stick Figure’s experience with the viral AI track began with a South African TikTok user altering the song to evade detection, and the track spread widely across AI-edited music accounts. This led to Stick Figure’s managers spending significant time managing copyright issues and reporting fraudulent versions to streaming services.
Woodruff acknowledged a potential positive aspect of the issue: increased exposure. Fans routinely commented on unauthorized videos, directing viewers to the original piece.
Industry players are shifting towards accommodating AI music, with entities like Billboard altering their rules to allow AI acts on their charts. Spotify and Universal Music Group announced a deal allowing fans to create covers and remixes of their favorite songs, leveraging AI technology to introduce new revenue streams and enhance discovery.
Despite the challenges, Woodruff expressed gratitude towards Stick Figure’s dedicated fanbase for helping maintain the authenticity of the band’s music. Fans constantly advocate for recognition of the band as the original creators in online discussions.
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