Beatles' Historic 'Now & Then' Makes Grammy History as First AI-Enhanced Nominee
The Beatles' "Now and Then" has made history as the first AI-assisted song to receive Grammy nominations, securing spots in both Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance categories.
Beatles promoting Now and Then song
The track represents a unique collaboration across time, featuring John Lennon's vocals from a 1978 demo, alongside contributions from all four Beatles members. Paul McCartney utilized AI technology to clean up Lennon's original recording, similar to the audio restoration techniques used in Peter Jackson's "The Beatles: Get Back" documentary.
The AI software, comparable to noise-cancellation technology in modern communication platforms, helped isolate and enhance Lennon's vocals from the demo tapes. This allowed the creation of a new track that combines the restored audio with recent recordings from surviving members McCartney and Ringo Starr, plus earlier contributions from George Harrison.
Despite its historical significance, "Now and Then" faces steep competition in its Grammy categories, with 78 million Spotify streams placing it behind other nominees including Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Billie Eilish. However, the nominations themselves mark a significant milestone, demonstrating the Beatles' enduring influence in modern music and the potential of AI in music production.
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