Visual designer becomes first AI music creator to sign record deal

Oliver McCann, a 37-year-old British visual designer with no traditional musical background, has become the first AI music creator to secure a record deal with a major label. McCann, who performs under the stage name imoliver, signed with independent record label Hallwood Media in July after his AI-generated track "Stone" accumulated over 3 million streams on the AI music platform Suno.cybernews+2

The groundbreaking deal, announced by Hallwood Media founder and former Geffen Records president Neil Jacobson, marks a historic moment for the music industry as it grapples with artificial intelligence's expanding role in creative production. McCann openly acknowledges his lack of conventional musical skills, stating, "I have no musical talent at all. I can't sing, I can't play instruments, and I have no musical background at all".abcnews.go+2

Industry Milestone Amid Legal Tensions

The signing comes as the music industry faces unprecedented challenges from AI technology. According to streaming service Deezer, approximately 18% of songs uploaded daily to its platform are purely AI-generated, though they account for only a tiny fraction of total streams. Major streaming platforms like Spotify SPOT ↘ 0.66% have not released comparable statistics.cybernews+2

McCann creates his diverse catalog of indie-pop, electro-soul, and country-rap tracks using AI tools like Suno and Udio, spending up to eight hours generating different versions of songs until they match his vision. "AI lyrics tend to come out quite cliche and quite boring," McCann explained, noting that he often writes his own lyrics and creates up to 100 different versions of a song before satisfaction.jamaica-gleaner+1

Legal Landscape and Industry Division

The deal occurs against a backdrop of intense legal battles. Three major record companies – Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records – filed copyright infringement lawsuits against Suno and Udio in 2024, seeking up to $150,000 per infringing song. The companies allege these platforms unlawfully used copyrighted recordings to train their AI models.nytimes+2

However, negotiations between the major labels and AI platforms have reportedly begun, potentially leading to licensing agreements that could reshape the industry's relationship with artificial intelligence. Josh Antonuccio, director of Ohio University's School of Media Arts and Studies, described the current situation as a "Wild West" phase due to unclear copyright regulations.hollywoodreporter+4

Future Implications

Hallwood Media's decision reflects a broader industry shift toward embracing AI as a creative tool. "Imoliver represents the future of our medium," said Jacobson, describing McCann as a "music designer" who merges "craftwork with taste". The label plans to release McCann's single "Stone" across all streaming platforms on August 8, followed by a full album on October 24.hollywoodreporter+3

The deal highlights artificial intelligence's potential to democratize music creation, with experts predicting exponential growth as younger generations become more comfortable with AI technology. "I think we're entering a world where anyone, anywhere could make the next big hit," McCann said, suggesting AI music could eventually feature on mainstream charts.cybernews+2

While over 1,000 musicians, including Kate Bush and Annie Lennox, have protested AI's impact on creative control, other artists like will.i.am, Timbaland, and Imogen Heap have embraced the technology.jamaica-gleaner+2