The Liverpool, England natives, and one of the world's most iconic rock bands, The Beatles, received two nominations in the 67th annual Grammy Awards featuring their "final song" which is known for having AI assistance. It has been a previously controversial topic for The Recording Company regarding AI-generated songs, but The Beatles' latest track proved to have significant differences from this use of modern technology.
The Beatles Receive Grammy Nomination For AI-Assisted Song
Over the weekend, The Recording Academy released the 2025 GRAMMYs Awards nominees that will be officially announcing its winners next year, on Sunday, February 2, 2025, featuring all 94 categories. One of the most iconic additions here was The Beatles' final song, "Now and Then," which was released in November of last year, and it also makes waves in the present for being the first AI-assisted song to receive nominations.
The "Beatlemania" is not yet over, especially after "The Fab Four" released the culmination of over 50 years of work for this final song, particularly as it was able to get two GRAMMYs nominations this year.
First off, The Beatles received a GRAMMY nomination for the "Record of the Year" category, and its second is for the "Best Rock Performance."
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How The Beatles' Final Song Qualify for the GRAMMYs
The song's music video on The Beatles' Official YouTube channel detailed the track's journey of over 50 years to complete the song, and here, they shared the story about how AI helped in making this record possible.
The Beatles' lead vocalist, John Lennon, shared a tape recording of their experimental song from the 1970s, and due to the limited technology, they were not able to extract his vocals from the piano. That being said, the three previously remaining members, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison attempted to work on it again in 1994, each recording their contributions.
However, it was not until 2022 when Peter Jackson developed the tech that helped them successfully isolate Lennon's voice from the piano and finish the song, with AI helping identify and detach the voice, while still preserving the original.
AI did not replicate or fill in on Lennon's voice in any way with "Now and Then," with only McCartney and Starr left to complete the song that came out in 2023. Moreover, it is also eligible to be part of the GRAMMYs after a recent change in their guidelines as it was not "AI-generated."
Generative AI and The GRAMMY Awards
"Now and Then" made significant waves online when it was claimed to be under development thanks to artificial intelligence, delivering the song over 50 years later.
However, it was also last year when the famed "Heart in My Sleeve" AI-generated track was announced to be eligible for the GRAMMYs, as shared by The Recording Academy's CEO Harvey Mason Jr. Later on, its application was rejected by The Recording Academy as it was revealed that AI-generated songs like these are not eligible, mainly because it featured deepfaked voices of Drake and The Weeknd.
The rules of The GRAMMY Awards have been made clear since last year, claiming that only human-made tracks are eligible to be entered into the awards, and it only accepts works that feature AI. The Beatles' "Now and Then" checked out under this rule, but apart from that, it also delivered a culturally and historically significant track featuring the band's final song that may soon receive the highest praise in the music industry.
Related Article: Last Ever Beatles Track: 'Now and Then' Debuts with the Help of AI
