“Write me lyrics to a song by an Australian artist” – I challenged ChatGPT to this task one fine day.

In all fairness, I don’t know what I was expecting. 

What I got was yet another example that artists all over the world, including Australia, have nothing to fear when it comes to AI taking over their craft. Here’s why.

PART 192 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE

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Despite the initial excitement and interest in the new possibilities it was supposed to create for the industry, artists are not overly happy with AI’s use in music.

The open letter from April 2024, published by the Artist Rights Alliance and signed by more than 200 musicians, like Billie Eilish, J Balvin and Frank Sinatra’s estate, is proof of that. The document highlights the urgent need to protect music creators against developing “AI tools that undermine or replace human songwriters and artists”.

In 2024, AI tools are used in various ways in relation to music and the music business. 

Mimicking famous voices is one of them. (Interestingly, Grimes had nothing against it and widely championed her “AI” version).

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Making beats and writing music for specific genres is another way. That application is actually not so bad.

Then, there are the disturbing deep-fake images of famous acts in places/situations they’ve never been a part of.

But what caught my attention specifically is generating lyrics based on an artist’s style.

You’ve probably heard of that time when a fan asked ChatGPT to create lyrics to a Nick Cave-type song. The result was described as “a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human” by the great Aussie troubadour himself.

That instantly sparked my blogging curiosity. 

I already asked ChatGPT in October 2023 to write a review of SAFIA‘s new album. And the result was quite unexpected, to say the least. Undeterred, I decided to give OpenAI’s tool another shot by crafting lyrics with prompts related to the Australian lifestyle and following different genres.

This time, I was even more surprised. So, let me walk you briefly through ChatGPT’s creation.

1. A general, Australia-themed song

I started with a generic topic. Almost instantly, the bot replied: “Here are some original song lyrics inspired by the style of Australian artists, blending elements of storytelling and scenic imagery often found in their music.”

It came up with a song called “Under Southern Skies”:

Now, compare that to the depth of the lyrics to “How To Make Gravy”, written by the legend that is the Adelaide songwriter Paul Kelly:

2. An Australian surf culture-infused rock-type tune

After putting in the command, ChatGPT replied: “Here are some original surfer rock-style song lyrics inspired by the lively and vibrant energy of the Australian surf culture. These lyrics aim to capture the essence of the Australian surfer lifestyle, filled with adventure, freedom, and the beauty of the ocean.”

The tune is – shockingly – called “Ride The Wave”:

A good point of reference here is “L.S.D.” by a surf/garage rock outfit from the Northern Rivers, Skegss. It might be silly, playful, and laid-back. But it tells a more believable story:

3. An Aussie metalcore-style track

“Here are some original metalcore-style song lyrics inspired by the intense and powerful energy typical of the genre, often featuring themes of inner struggle, resilience, and catharsis. These lyrics are designed to capture the raw intensity and emotional depth characteristic of metalcore, emphasizing themes of personal struggle, empowerment, and breaking free from inner demons”, the AI claimed.

It generated a track called – wait for it – “Breaking the Chains”:

For comparison, listen to “W2HA” by metalcore reps from Byron Bay, In Hearts Wake:

4. An Australian pop anthem

ChatGPT’s answer to the prompt in this category was: “Here are some original pop song lyrics inspired by the catchy and vibrant style typical of Australian pop artists, focusing on themes of love, joy, and summer vibes. These lyrics aim to capture the light-hearted, romantic, and fun spirit typical of pop songs, evoking the carefree vibes of a summer romance.”

And the title? You guessed it – “Summer Love”:

Now, let Peach PRC – a songstress from Adelaide – show you how it’s really done in “Touchy Subject”:

5. An Australian country song

“Here are some original country song lyrics inspired by the storytelling and heartfelt emotions typical of the genre, often reflecting the landscapes and lifestyle of rural Australia. These lyrics aim to capture the nostalgic, heartfelt essence of country music, reflecting the beauty and simplicity of rural Australian life” was the AI’s take on this task.

The lyrics to a predictable “Backroads and Heartstrings” are below:

I suggest checking out “Acres” by an artist from Jindabyne, Brad Cox, to get the real vibe of Australian country:

6. An Aussie hip-hop rhyme

The bot justified its creation like this: “Here are some original hip-hop song lyrics inspired by the dynamic and expressive style of the genre, incorporating themes of resilience, ambition, and life experiences. These lyrics aim to capture the essence of hip-hop, emphasizing themes of perseverance, ambition, and personal growth”.

Give it up (or not) for a track called “Rise Up”:

Wanna hear a great Aussie artist spitting some sick rhymes? Then Miss Kannina‘s “Blak Britney” is your go-to track:

Looking at all six examples, there are some things ChatGPT got right.

For example, the lyrics (especially in the surf rock, country and general examples) are packed with everything we associate with Oz: the outback, eucalyptus trees, sun, the ocean, kangaroos or Bondi Beach. It also decently emulates the way artists in hip-hop pronounce gerunds (i.e. chasin’, takin’ risin’) Similarly, in the country tune, it throws in a very folky I start a-playin’.

But does that truly feel authentic, relatable and attention-grabbing? I don’t think so.

The metalcore lyrics, for instance, feel like a super-tamed version of some desperate metalhead-wannabe whose academic background prevents them from getting deeper and darker.

The hip-hop track lacks authenticity and emotion (not even one F-bomb is dropped). It is also a very abstract picture for a genre with skilful storytelling as one of its differentiating features.

The pop anthem is the definition of a cliché in songwriting.

Plus, the pop, hip-hop and metalcore songs don’t highlight anything specifically Australian.

So yeah, Nick Cave is totally right. AI-generated lyrics are neither original nor meaningful. They feel childish, amateur and more like a cheap version of the AirPods you get off Ali Express the right piece breaking after the first use. The intention to imitate greatness is clearly there. But to create something memorable and unique, you need more than synthesising the already existing work.

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In my humble opinion, the image of Australia painted in those AI-generated lyrics is also quite stereotypical. It’s fairly obvious artists growing up close to the ocean might also be surfers. And they will express their fondness for that sport and lifestyle occasionally in their lyrics. 

But that would also mean most French songs are about camembert cheese. Following that logic, every other Brazilian tune should be called “Copacabana”. And the Canadians will probably be constantly apologising for something in their lyrics, given how often they use the word “sorry”. 

On a similar note, I recently listened to an episode of the Financial Times podcast Working It, which focused on a key question: Can AI really do creative work? One of the examples discussed was its application in copywriting, which can be compared to writing lyrics.

Spoiler alert: the overall conclusion was that AI is not great at doing original, creative, playful work (yet). And that is because “it lacks human wit”.

It also definitely lacks the Aussie sassiness if you ask me. And it’ll never master the Aussie take on the English language, which – as I’ve been told once by a distinguished British citizen – “has been properly corrupted by the inhabitants of the land Down Under.”

So, dear OpenAI champions, using it to write songs: nice try. But please stop pretending it’s a revolutionary tool, sophisticated enough to independently generate cohesive, catchy lyrics, capturing the essence of whatever it thinks the request was. Especially if the topic is Australia.

_{The lyrics generated by ChatGPT are here. Cover photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash.}

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