Sheryl Crow on how AI is crushing the spirit of music and her new album Evolution

[@michaelfaeth]

I think Sheryl is on to something here. I am a nobody and just released a song of my own entitled "Organic Intelligence", which is a celebration of natural intelligence. May that never be replaced by something artificial. One of the lyrics is "...Prince, Cobain, Lennon, Hendrix, worth more than some high tech trick." Great interview and thank you for posting this.

[@Mo_Taser]

Good on Sheryl. Artists need to reject AI and put labels on their albums: "AI Free". You're a master, Tom.

[@riseofthethorax]

Its all about accessibility, people don’t like competing with “non professionals”.. I think that is the issue here..

[@johnforeman634]

I grew up with vinyl records and I sure miss the days of buying an album with an interesting artistic sleeve and a bunch of songs that you began to love. There’s so many albums where every song is awesome.

[@pierre-claudemeriot6562]

And when you buy an album you kinda WANT to like it so you'll listen to it many times before giving up on it. With streaming you're just a clic away from another song, album or genre.

[@bradspringer2372]

​@pierre-claudemeriot6562 Excellent point. Heck...I remember 8-tracks having to listen to all songs. No fast forwarding or moving the needle.

[@yogarich]

What a delightful interview! Sheryl is not only talented but full of wisdom. Tom, I love your interviews. You bring out the best in your guests!

[@JDWALSH-s1e]

Sheryl Crow is so right. What a legend, and we need more legends speaking up now.

[@dhamma58]

So pleased to hear your mutual experience with mindfulness...it has been my absolute pleasure to have sat retreats with all the older vipassana teachers that brought the different schools of teaching from Thailand, Burma, Ceylon and elsewhere. A great interview!

[@LoveBoatCruising]

Best interview ever. I feel the “collection” of new songs are meant for me right now at my age. I’m getting the urge to start making songs at 60❤Thank you. Just drove to from SF to LA and back listening to ‘Highway Companion’ over and over. I’ll be listening to Evolution over and over from beginning to end.

[@Davett53]

Great conversation. Sheryl has a an insightful view on life and creativity. Thank you, both of you.

[@west4coast77]

Love these longer form interviews. People are relaxed and not going by the book, with a series of frequently-repeated sound bites. Sheryl has such a great attitude. Self-aware, pragmatic and quite lovely. Kudos to Tom for being a master at his craft.

[@jefftaylor844]

In truth, when the record companies caved into all of Apple's demands - especially selling all songs on their site for .99 cents, the value of music collapsed - never to recover. Now, most singers/bands MUST tour to pay their bills and make a living. Releasing music only isn't going to pay the bills.

[@zeroceiling]

Well what were the options?…Napster opened the door and an avalanche of other file sharing services knocked it down. That was pretty much the apocalypse for the whole industry…until Steve Jobs pretty much saved the segment with his idea….

[@jefftaylor844]

@zeroceiling ... 1. Had the record companies sued a number of pirates into the stone age, a message would have been sent that IF you're caught stealing music - especially on a larger scale, you'll be be fined/jailed. 2. Steve Jobs blackmailed the recording industry when he said to them that if they didn't license all their music to Apple and take the cut he was demanding, he suggested that the music industry would be fatality wounded. They should have called his bluff and took him to court over the iPod, etc. Ironically, over the years, artists have complained about the control that the companies had over them but when push came to shove, the Industry rolled over and allowed Apple to destroy an artist's main way to make a living.

[@Child9Music]

Spotify is now the main one, which is 0.003 cent to 0.005 cent per stream. Records have had a come back is one way of making more $, there are also other avenues like youtube etc. which can also do ok. So it's just changed and is more diverse.

[@jefftaylor844]

@Child9Music ... well, with a payout like those numbers from Spotify, it's no wonder why most artists MUST tour and / or sell their publishing to pay their bills and make any money ! Back in the day, many artists were paid 2, 3, 4 bucks per every record sold - NOT .0002 cents per !

[@randalclarke5487]

And then they couldn't even tour for at least a year with the lock downs...sad what we let the "higher ups" throw to us for crumbs

[@minnae.1747]

This interview teaches me more about her than I have ever known about her. Love it!

[@jimdukehart5367]

Thanks for your honesty. I'm so moved by this interview.

[@gazncoll]

Go Sheryl! Sheryl has a 100% correct perspective. All music and other art forms need to be placed in a space and category which is NON-Ai AFFECTED, Music and art are a combination of spiritual and physical creative processes - they are not self-generated by a device. Songwriters, musicians, singers actors, voice-actors and backing vocalists should all be VERY concerned and stand up to protect their craft and their futures.

[@annaweatherupmusic]

I needed this album Sheryl Crow! Thank you for continuing to put your music out there! ❤

[@philipwellerjackson6906]

When the song is given to you like Cheryl explains, it's the highest of high.Spirit and soul!

[@danburnes722]

Always been a big Sheryl Crow fan. I need to catch up with her full catalog.

[@robertmalone4826]

Absolutely right! This is not just with music, this is happening with all walks of life. Instead of integrating our intelligence with technology , technology is replacing our intelligence. Music comes from within our spirit not through artificial intelligence 😡. Well said Sheryl ❤

[@AF11able]

Her new album is soulful. I am hooked. Nothing like the real thing!

[@lelandstronks319]

I love Sheryl Crow she’s a real person, no nonsense crap from this girl.🌹🌹🥰😎

[@jimdent351]

62 yo and looks 40. Gorgeous woman!

[@RAREFORMDESIGNS]

Filters.

[@starperformer7154]

Cheryl is absolutely right. Art defines humanity, cultures, and there is only one Truth. Thank you Cheryl! And thank you, Tom, for interviewing her on this very important and timely subject.

[@vagabond7883]

Sheryl is highlighting an issue which almost all musicians and songwriters are concerned about. In my youth we would go out on a Saturday night and go to the local pub/bar where the best Australian bands would be playing. Today it would be hard to find any live band playing anywhere. Furthermore, our music festivals are being cancelled at an alarming rate. What future is there for a young person interested in being a musician?

[@DavidJRobinson]

Virtually none in Australia. We have a lot of dopes trying to play, but no real pros. j.

[@timolsen8252]

I am amazed at how the masses worship technology and everything new without any thought about what is lost and destroyed in us as spiritual and biological beings.

[@mattpotter8725]

I think with every new technology that comes along comes with the claim that it'll change everything. For me AI is just another tool that will be used, but you'll still need very talented musicians to get the very best out of it. I'm sure record labels will try to use it to not to have to employ certain people doing certain jobs to keep more of the profit for themselves but I hope in the end there are some that appear that do things more organically and those will be better because they have the human touch of creativity and experience behind them and aren't just clones of what an AI has been trained on.

[@richards6065]

OMG. Thank you for speaking up about this. This is on my mind a lot. Music, writing, photography, film. Creativity can only come from people and not a computer chip. People need to admit that!

[@regulator_3025]

It's funny, I haven't thought about Sheryl Crow in a long time. Listened to Bodyguard by Beyoncé for the first time and i said man...that reminds me of some slow jam sheryl crow country song from back in the day - love it!! Sheryl is an icon we often forget to mention. And you, Tom. The Canadian Gem that you are 🥰 I rediscovered you through your interview with jack white a couple years back. Thanks for listening to your guests and asking interesting, insightful questions :) we love you!

[@regulator_3025]

You must live a blissful life with that kind of ignorance* 🤣

[@tonykunz3290]

Sheryl is an intelligent, fearless, down to earth lady who tells it like it is, and speaks from her heart. She's such a beautiful woman, a sweet person, and a great role model for females!

[@dandilion62]

Thank you Sheryl!!!! So great to your voice outside of your recordings!!!! I'm a serious amature musician, you've been such an inspiration for me.

[@drew369]

Great interview with such a gifted human!!! Sheryl…please continue to lead, we need You💫

[@ivocaponio4797]

Thanks Sheryl and Tom for bringing up all these subjects and somehow giving hope and genuine life spirit 🙏🏼❤️☀️

[@ambermackay921]

Bravo for speaking up - You ROCK !

[@joblo2671]

Ive been thru a lot in my life, and music, and a couple of Cheryl's songs, have helped a lot and been a real source of joy in my life. I sing and play some, too. One of the biggest things for me, mostly the lyrics, is that someone else (another HUMAN) somewhere, was feeling the exact same thing I was, and made it through, or wrote the song, or ... something. I dread to think what the future will bring woth robots writing songs. (I also loathe auto-tune.)

[@thinkjon]

Sheryl, never stop writing - we WANT to hear you! 💛

[@pecogiardina]

Thanks for sharing your truth and compassion for artists churning their mind, spirit, and intellectual experience into the importance of human care and the AI FX good and bad of AI towards making it work into due respect of moral and monetary credited splits! A balance beam of heaven and hell! Thanks Tom on a great and genuine deep and grateful insightful and fun conversation with Cheryl!

[@MWright95186]

"Wherever you go, there you are." is also a line from a Clint Black song from the 80-90s... ;0) M

[@OldschoolRacer73]

So there we were in 2019 thinking the album Threads would wrap up the Sheryl Crow discography. And surprise surprise my not so guilty pleasure drops another one in 2024 with music that speaks out even more. Absolutely love it! "Letter To God" from the 2005(?) album Wildflower is still my personal favourite. Keep writing girl and show them robots!!❤

[@gloryreinstein110]

Love Sheryl. Hope to meet her some day. Love what she has to say whether in a song or in an interview like this one.

[@shayxtreme]

I 💯 agree with everything she is saying

[@jasondidner]

Good talk! Listened to the album today and really liked it.

[@Onz70]

So agree. Remember listening to a whole album. I heard a young popular artist in an interview say the other day about their latest release. They won’t release an album just singles because who wants to listen to a whole album? How sad is that? What she said about AI is true too. I used to love technology I’m starting to hate it now.

[@OldschoolRacer73]

It is very sad to hear that people just don't have the patience anymore to listen a whole album. So many times songs connect and are carefully placed in order to create a piece of art. This also goes for the artwork. So many times I buy a cd secondhand and the booklet inside the case is untouched. 😑

[@kirkwatson1442]

The fact that we are communicating, is a good sign!❤

[@eamonnmorris5331]

There's something about Sheryl Crow! She has a maturity, a history and a talent that raises her above the 'competition'. When Sheryl talks ... people listen!

[@BrentAlanRoss]

Wow, very inspirational. This makes me want to listen to her knew album, which I will now.

[@blueowlwill8754]

Love you Sheryl! Thank you for being so authentic! Like people were in the old days lol

[@NEINLIVES999]

Always been a huge fan of SC! Talk about aging beautifully!

[@nicholascarlozzi1881]

Love Sheryl. She is so genuine and so talented.

[@stevesmith1493]

She’s pure 🔥

[@tefenstrat]

She said something early in the interview that was so profound and true....I do not think Sheryl even realized it. She said "at a time, when truth is so up for grabs" wow so true, so scary. She will never quit making music, she loves it too much....I hope she doesn't anyway. :-)

[@jasonbone5121]

Excellent interview!

[@planetcool2240]

Excellent interview and I have become a fan of Sheryl. SHe's bang on all points she said. That's why I love that I make music that is purely human. NO AI interference and its not perfect either...you can hear it and its refreshing. She's a great artist, songwriter and vocalist. I AM AI FREE for my catalogue of songs. And Canadian to boot too eh!!

[@TheCjbowman]

Love Cheryl! Great interview. I think most people crave authenticity. Sure the masses will consume whatever is put in front of them, but there is a desire for THE REAL. 💕☀️

[@CUPCAKESUGARPIE]

🎼🤟♥️♥️♥️🤟🎼 Looove Sheryl Crow

[@paxwallace8324]

I had a conversation with jazz Alto Saxist Steve Coleman who famously toured with David Holland. These men are extremely brilliant musicians . So Steve Coleman was experimenting with writing programs to imitate how he himself improvised jazz in the 90s. He played an example for legendary bassist composer David Holland. His reaction was, stop! He said don't share this don't pursue this. Because he found it both scary and chilling.

[@merridycumpton6]

I love the recommendation of the book, "The Four Agreements." Thank You #SherylCrow❤

[@ChadGlassify]

She's wise. I love her.

[@vracan]

music/song quality and originality started going down with the introduction of autotune! and it shows! When was the last time you heard a new pop song with key/mode changes, harmony , and basically just even sounding totally different from artist to artist?

[@andylester5312]

Exactly my thought! Thx for expressing it!

[@cacildafdo1973]

Mais um belo trabalho 🙌

[@julesbaby47]

She's bang on.

[@stevemorano9317]

It’s not machines becoming more like humans it’s humans becoming more like machines that’s the problem. Thanks for the music 🎶

[@petermcnamara9440]

Love her music by the way

[@marra4887]

Honest, articulate and really interesting. Lovely person !

[@wikolib6821]

Good discussion on some of the dangers of AI. As far as people not being able to listen to a whole song, that's true. A lot of folks have very short attention spans. Just listened to Evolution, good song. Nice Gibson Sheryl is playing. Interesting Strat solo, kinda screechy. There's nothing like live music.

[@MostlyBuicks]

One thing AI does well is separating different instruments recorded on the same track. Making it possible to create a more natural stereo field. For example, I like the Revolver remixes.

[@midlifeadventures3138]

People using ai to blatantly copy someones voice and use it for financial gain is the issue not ai. People said the same thing about Pro Tools and the computer. Everyone is scared of what they don't know until they know it.

[@OldschoolRacer73]

There used to be a time where i would show my photoshop skills in a contest carefully shaping and cloning pieces of wall to make a bike in front of it disappear. Now it's just one mouseclick.. We shouldn't let AI destroy our art, lyrics and music (with a big exception for electronic music), but here we are..

[@robertgold2643]

Brilliant interview, hopefully the masses call BS on some of the sides ruins tech is going though I don’t hold much hope for it. In the meantime I’ll keep writing and singing

[@wmritchey1101]

I'm convinced Sheryl Crow is a kindred spirit, I'm glad that she has scruples, intelligence and knows we will perish if we don't embrace each other and stop the machines from ruining the creative spirit.

[@philipwellerjackson6906]

Right On Cheryl Crow!

[@davidboydarnott417]

Nice to see Sheryl with a big beamin' smile on her face👌 coz she had that dreary hit in the 90's "everyday is a winding road"😂😂

[@bjorntannberg1581]

What a fantastic and creative person she is.

[@mdmalabel]

She is truly one of the greats.

[@petermcnamara9440]

SHERYL: the music that comes to you out of the air and not crafted is spiritually given from God. These tunes are divinely given. To me as a song writer, these tunes are the most special.

[@Draxtor]

THANK YOU Sheryl! There are so many issues with AI (besides the fact in capitalism it is owned by capital) including predictive policing and military use etc but you focusing on art here is so so important. WE NEED ART TO STAY HUMAN ALL CAPS! And if this tech lures us into believing we can "outsource" this important activity of reflection, contemplation, silence even, working through stuff WHICH TAKES TIME, if AI tech convinces people it is so awesome and cool and why not .... BOOM: frankly? It is over!

[@Draxtor]

addendum as a reminder: what investors want to sell as artifical "intelligence" is of course not intelligent at all! It is a stochastic parrot, trapped in code.

[@NealFox]

AI is a double edged sword. Just like a gun. It can save your life or can be used to take a life. Any creative person could use AI in a genius way. But the majority of AI creations will be, as Sheryl said, without Spirit. With the current state of humanity, we can expect AI to be used in the worst ways possible. That's why WE (spirits) need to be more trained and vigilant than ever.

[@jasonsmith5325]

The Castellows are producing the most natural and human sounding music I've heard in a long time.

[@RobTackettCovers]

I was going to leave a long comment about plagiarizing someone's exact vocal likeness and putting into a song in order to trick people into thinking that someone famous sang on their track, but instead, I think I'll close my computer, and go play my guitar. Thanks for the video, and hope you all are doing well at O with Tom Power, as well as the same for Sheryl Crow and her friends and family that surround her.

[@kirkwatson1442]

Tuesday...all I want to do...❤

[@stickman55100]

I couldn’t agree more with her!

[@oceanwoods]

I love SC But it’s challenging to watch her talk about the dangers of AI, while looking at her through an AR/AI filter

[@michellemonet4358]

You mean softer lighting?

[@thegracegravity]

I agree -- we need real musicians and real music. Music is essential to the development of being a human. Analog recording even better!

[@cbeardmusic4295]

New channel on SiriusXM, NO AI Radio..

[@ALNlemtor]

Totally true . AI has limitations but at the same time threatens to be unlimited and interferes with certain elements. we need to draw our boundaries against AI especially when it comes to originality and its audacity. Beauty comes with flaws.

[@davidscotbrown3241]

Brilliant!

[@riseofthethorax]

My advice to others about heckling and death threats.. Nobody has the will power to carry any of that out.. Not even a psychopath will pursue you unless, they have nothing else more suitable to do.. And unless you have money and are vulnerable, you won’t come across any that will kill you. Its the fear that rules you, and your capacity to reason while posessing a fear is not a reality.. You must address the fear, and that is to determine who youa re, to what lengths you will go, and your pain threshold, and where you place your faith.. If you fear AI, why not learn about it and see if it is a relevant fear? Why is it a fear.. Why should you let it have control over you and your life?

[@stephanleo]

"Humans are losing faith in themselves" - H.Miyazaki (founder of studio Ghibli) about A.I.

[@HuckFinn212]

Nice label: 100% AI free - I'd buy this stuff

[@SPJBR]

Wow, it’s crazy how much airtime has gone into making people afraid of technology. We’re being manipulated into fear at every turn. 😰

[@michellemonet4358]

Wow. Music IS truth

[@thomasscottwilliams6672]

AI was an integral part of the cookies opt in of a certain company and by consenting you were agreeing to the use of ur likeness, mannerisms, voice and choices for public use and therefore you were giving away ur own face, voice and behaviour for public use which is terrifying and AI needs a legislative framework

[@prestige2000rider]

I so believe she is correct in how things are going . Songwriting has changed. Songs dont even get recorded begining to end much anymore. Anyways, right on Sheryl

[@CPTMorada]

interesting! From what ive seen so far, alot of people seem divided on AI..I would love to hear her speak with someone like a Brian Eno, or other musicians who seem to like ai. I gather it seems to me she might not consider alot of musicians who use electronics or computers as real music.

[@kirkwatson1442]

Saw you backup Don Henley

[@davidboydarnott417]

Do you know there is Sun, Clouds ,Birds up over your head. You should take a look up and take a big breath of Air! ✌️+❤

[@dalepetersen6533]

Finally a star that isn’t spouting woke bs! But actually something that is a serious existential threat to humanity!

[@jeffcassinelli8061]

You said it - AI ain’t the real thing- hard to know how and what to teach the students these days- it was good to see you pop up on KZbin - I was just about to start teaching your version of “The First Cut …..” Again it used to be the first song I taught all my girl/lady students on mandolin- guitar - keep popping up - kill the AI friend!

[@cosmiclettuce]

Pretty much a complete misunderstanding about what AI is. Creativity is limitless, and the outcomes of creativity are subjective. Her primary concerns - shrouded in strange philosophical wanderings - are job loss, a (false) loss of identity, and how the bills will get paid. In truth this technology enables humanity to create it's own future more so now than ever!

[@slacktoryrecords4193]

Can you address and refute anything she said in specific terms and demonstrate how she’s wrong? Are you a musician?

[@cosmiclettuce]

@@slacktoryrecords4193 Hi yes I'm not a pro musician but I compose and play music. She's saying that no one will ever be able to produce music and that no one will ever be able to listen to music, implying that 'technology' is removing music from the culture. The opposite of this is true. AI will allow for *more* ways to produce music, *more* ways to listen, and a *continued* injection into the culture. Embrace change

[@fordsrestorations970]

Disgusted with Hollywood's metal and punk I was leaving , looked up Sheryl Crow was releasing her first video. Years later she's expressing how I felt then... I straight say "God puts the song in your heart"! But Artificial Intelligence doesn't have a heart !!

[@chrispennie5830]

There will always be a place for artists, and people will always want to see people play music. Unfortunately it will not be a majority and the business of music and art (and ultimately everything in the world) altogether is going to change. Some of that will be good as you will see with Quantum entering, but it will also crush the job market. Going to be a hard change into the real digital age as it always is with any global shift. Good luck to all!

[@Dragondarkness30]

Ai is NOT art I reject it. If your not going to play an instrument or actually sing thats not art. I'm an artist myself I draw on paper everything else is NOT art. Painting is art on canvas and paper. I love what she is saying. She is a legend.

[@chillguy2758]

Can’t say I agree in regards to ai. We can’t change the trajectory the artist is the art not the song

[@garethde-witt6433]

Ai is not art

[@almaguapa-sailboatliveaboa440]

« Didn’t want to do this nor that, got a bunch of this and that and ask an old friend to make something of it… ». 😂

[@chaneallentaffaro4892]

I totally agree!! AI is only going to give us what was done and natural and spiritually depleted