The Beatles cover The Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows’ in new AI creation
In recent months, AI technology has become a subject of hot debate as fans and artists argue over the moral implications of artificial creation. Some artists, including the former Genesis mastermind Peter Gabriel, have supported using this groundbreaking technology in the music industry, while countless others have raised their concerns. Now, surviving members of The Beatles and The Beach Boys have cause to chime in.
Over the past few weeks, enterprising fans have used various platforms, such as ChatGPT, to create seamless tracks using the voices of artists, including Drake, The Weeknd, Kanye West, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Ariana Grande.
However, it’s not just the modern pop artists who have had their voices replicated. Some fans have travelled back to the 1960s to create alternate versions and crossovers, such as The Beatles singing The Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows’ and Paul McCartney offering lead vocals on The Rolling Stones’ ‘Start Me Up’, Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’, and Nirvana’s ‘All Apologies’.
Elsewhere, you can hear the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury vocalising The Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’, Michael Jackson’s version of The Weeknd’s ‘Starboy and Kurt Cobain’s version of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’. Beyond fun and games, these seamless reproductions pose a real threat to human-created art as AI technology grows from strength to strength.
This particular track is perhaps more sentimental thanks to it being widely regarded as Paul McCartney’s favourite song of all time. The Beatles frontman said of the song: “‘God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it. It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian.”
Listen to The Beatles’ AI cover of The Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows’ below.