The Velvet Sundown is an AI-generated band that hit over 1 million monthly Spotify listeners — before anyone knew they weren’t real.
The band launched two albums in June: Floating On Echoes on June 5 and Dust And Silence on June 20. Their folk-country sound drew quick attention, but questions swirled about their mysterious identity. Their Spotify page listed members as vocalist Gabe Farrow, guitarist Lennie West, bassist Milo Rains, and percussionist Orion ‘Rio’ Del Mar. Their X bio cryptically described them as “Not quite human. Not quite machine.”
The issue started with growing rumors, then on July 5, The Velvet Sundown confirmed the truth: the band’s music was AI-generated. 
This revelation came after a tangled saga of scammers, trolls, and an elaborate prank.
Their official X statement read:
The Velvet Sundown on X stated:
“Our music is made by AI — not by human musicians. We are a project exploring the boundaries of creativity and technology.”
This has propelled The Velvet Sundown from a Spotify curiosity into one of the year’s strangest stories in AI and music.
Watch how AI is not just shaping the future of art — it’s already racking up millions of listeners as a virtual band.
Listen here: The Velvet Sundown on Spotify
Follow updates: The Velvet Sundown on X
