Why AI Music Doesn’t Work on Streaming Platforms and How to Make It Work

I’ve received quite a lot of messages about this topic, both from people who support AI music and those who are against it. That’s actually a good thing. It means the topic is creating discussion. And I still want to emphasize that AI music has both its good and its bad sides.

But right now, we are clearly in a transition phase. I’ve written about this before. Rules are being created around AI music. What this blog is about is not a matter of opinion. Things are actually changing, and I hope that everyone working with AI music takes this seriously.

If your first reaction is that this isn’t true or that things are the way you want them to be, these facts are easy to find if you take a bit of time to look into them.

Let’s start with what most of you are probably interested in. Why AI music doesn’t work on streaming platforms and how to make it work. After that, I’ll go through one way to move forward with AI music. And there are many ways to do it.

Why AI Music Doesn’t Work on Streaming Platforms and How to Make It Work

There is now a massive amount of AI music available. Because of that, streaming platforms have started creating rules around it. Very few have completely banned AI music, but it has already happened in some cases.

It’s also possible that we’ll see platforms dedicated entirely to AI music. But will listeners actually follow that trend? I personally doubt it.

You can still release AI-generated tracks. But if the track is fully AI-generated, AI detection tools will recognize it, and it will likely be pushed down by the algorithm. When that happens, it simply doesn’t reach listeners.

Most people still continue working the same way and either ignore this or refuse to believe it.

Distributors and tightening practices

If we look at distributors, the platforms that actually deliver music to streaming services, they have already started taking a closer look at AI music. This will continue to tighten.

So now is the time to think about what you need to do if you want your AI music to reach listeners in the future.

Why mixing alone is not enough

The first mistake many AI artists make is mastering their track using a cheap automated mastering service.

The sound might improve slightly, and the track might feel louder, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is still fully AI-generated.

This helps. But the end result is still the same.

What reveals AI music

Here are a few things you should always pay attention to.

First, the transients are not natural.

Second, AI music often contains a large amount of artifacts.

Third, the stereo image does not feel natural.And finally, the high frequencies are often unclear and messy, turning into a kind of digital noise.

The importance of separate tracks

The most important first step is to get the AI music into as many individual tracks as possible.

You need access to separate tracks so you can actually work on them.

Replacing the drums

If you want to make AI music work better on streaming platforms and avoid getting pushed down by the algorithm, the first thing you should do is replace the drums.

The easiest way is to use drum samples.

For example, you can place a new snare sample on every snare hit and do the same for the kick, hi-hats, and other elements.

There are tools like Waves Drum Trigger that can do this automatically. But first, you need to separate the drums into individual tracks.

Below is a link to YouTube where you can watch and hear what AI drum replacement sounds like.

https://youtube.com/shorts/D-u5jSREXPg

Rebuilding the instruments

The next steps are a bit more advanced, but completely doable.

You’ll need a DAW where you can work with MIDI instruments.

You can create a new bass line, for example. It doesn’t need to be identical to the original.

The same applies to other instruments.

Re-recording

There is also another way to reduce typical AI-related issues. You can re-record instruments.

The simplest method is to play the instrument from your DAW and record it onto a new track.

A better method is to play the sound through speakers and record it with a microphone.

This makes the sound more natural and reduces the typical AI artifacts.

What to replace first

You don’t need to replace everything.

I recommend focusing on drums and bass first.

Electric guitars are also often very obviously generated, so those are worth considering as well.

What this means in practice

As a producer, I’ve noticed that many artists come into the studio with AI-generated tracks and want to turn them into something that actually works and doesn’t get lost in the system.

Then real vocals and proper production are added on top.

To me, this makes complete sense.

I do this kind of work a lot now, and I also help artists understand how they can do this themselves.

Jos et vielä lukenut edellistä kirjoitusta, käy kurkkaamassa:AI Music Isn’t Going Anywhere But the Rules Are Changing

PS. Check out my shop page  you'll find T-shirts and samples, straight from the studio.

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FAQ – AI Music Mixing

What is AI music mixing?

AI music mixing refers to the process of mixing songs that were generated or partially created using artificial intelligence tools such as Suno, Udio, or other AI music platforms. The goal is to turn AI-generated material into a balanced and professional sounding track.

Why do AI-generated songs sometimes sound unbalanced?

AI-generated instruments often do not follow the natural energy distribution used in traditional music production. Because of this, a mix may sound good in the studio but lose its balance when played on different speakers, headphones, or smaller sound systems.

Can AI music be professionally mixed?

Yes. With proper production techniques such as replacing certain AI instruments, rebuilding parts of the arrangement, and adjusting the stereo image AI-generated music can reach professional release quality.

About the Author

Nicolas Linnala

Recording engineer & producer

Owner of Silent Sound Studio

Nicolas works with both traditional artists and AI-generated music, helping musicians transform rough ideas into finished productions and professional mixes.