The Beatles' AI-Enhanced 'Now and Then' Makes Grammy History

The Beatles' AI-assisted track 'Now and Then' is nominated for two Grammy awards

The Beatles have been nominated for two Grammy awards this year, and no, we did not accidentally fall into a time warp back to the 1960s. The Beatles song "Now and Then," refined with the use of AI and released last year, is up for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance. So, the fab four will be up against artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Beyoncé, setting the tone for a pretty weird Grammys moment. Though the band has been broken up for fifty years, Paul McCartney decided to use AI last year to create "the last Beatles record." McCartney isn't using this technology to resurrect his late bandmates, John Lennon and George Harrison, with deepfakes. Instead, McCartney took one of Lennon's demos from 1978 and used AI to clean up the recording's poor sound quality. McCartney took inspiration from the filmmaker Peter Jackson's "The Beatles: Get Back," the 2021 documentary series based on archival footage of recording sessions for "Let It Be." These recordings from 1969 didn't sound very good, but the film's dialogue editor Emile de la Rey used AI to recognize each of the Beatles' voices and isolate them from background noise. This same technology helped producer Giles Martin make a new stereo mix for the Beatles' 1966 album "Revolver." This AI-based audio editing is similar to how video chat platforms like FaceTime, Google Meet, or Zoom might filter out background noise from a call. Machine learning models can be trained on something specific -- whether that's a human voice on a video call, or a specific kind of guitar in a studio -- and learn to isolate those sounds from the rest of a recording. Can fellow nominees like Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar stand a chance against the Beatles at the Grammys? Maybe the real question is if the Beatles can win solely based on novelty -- of all songs nominated for Record of the Year, "Now and Then" has the fewest Spotify streams at 78 million. If the Beatles are "more popular than Jesus," then so is Charli XCX now, too.

The Beatles' Final Song, Completed with AI, Earns Grammy Nomination

Samantha Kelly is a freelance writer with a focus on consumer technology, AI, social media, Big Tech, emerging trends and how they impact our everyday lives. Her work has been featured on CNN, NBC, NPR, the BBC, Mashable and more. The Beatles' song Now and Then just made history for being the first AI-assisted song to be nominated for a Grammy. Released in November 2023 - nearly 50 years after the famed band broke up - the song features a previously unreleased recording of the late John Lennon singing and playing piano. Lennon's wife Yoko Ono shared the recording with the rest of the Beatles after his death. Using advanced machine-learning software, engineers were able to isolate Lennon's voice from the piano track. Over the course of many years, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the late George Harrison worked on the song and eventually added their parts, creating a new Beatles song featuring all four band members. Although AI was used in the production of Now and Then, it fits within the guidelines for the Grammys that states "only human creators are eligible" and that work which features "elements of AI material" is allowed in certain categories. Read more: The New Beatles Video: How AI Is Helping and Hindering the Music Industry The nomination comes at a time when the music industry grapples with defining the appropriate use of AI and how it may impact creativity and authenticity in music production. The Grammy recognition also highlights how a song with AI assistance can open up new ways of innovation and creative expression while honoring the legacy of artists. AI is increasingly being used in the music industry, though not everyone is a fan. The Beatles' usage is perhaps more acceptable to many fans because it does not fake Lennon's voice, but simply cleans up a recording of it. A more controversial issue involved the 2023 song Heart On My Sleeve by the musician Ghostwriter, who used AI to mimic the vocals of Drake and The Weeknd without their knowledge or permission. The song was submitted for two Grammy Awards, but it was eventually determined that the song was ineligible. A 12-minute short film was produced for Now and Then that follows McCartney, Starr and Harrison reuniting in 1994 to work on the track. But after Harrison's death in 2001, the song was largely untouched again until 2022. Read more: Paul McCartney Uses AI to Create the Final Beatles Song By then, filmmaker Peter Jackson and his team - while working on the Beatles documentary series Get Back - developed a way to isolate Lennon's vocals from the rest of the recording. McCartney ultimately recorded some bass; Starr added drums; Harrison's previously recorded guitar parts were blended in; and eventually, strings were added. "We've all played on it, so it is a genuine Beatle recording," McCartney said in the short documentary. Lennon's son Sean said in the film he was deeply moved by the process that made his father's voice part of a new Beatles song. "My dad would have loved that because he was never shy to experiment with recording technology," Sean Lennon said. "I think it's really beautiful." Read more: The Beatles Land on TikTok He added, "It's the last song that my dad, Paul, George and Ringo will ever get to make together." Now and Then is up for Record of the Year at the Grammys, facing competition from Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Charli XCX. It also earned a nomination for Best Rock Performance, where it's set to compete against artists such as Green Day and Pearl Jam.

Might be time to 'Twist and Shout' - The Beatles' AI-restored song 'Now and Then' lands Grammy nominations

The Beatles have scored Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance for their song "Now and Then," a 'lost' track recovered and restored using AI. This is the first time a song produced with AI assistance has earned such recognition and could portend plenty of arguments ahead over the role of AI in music production. "Now and Then" was released last year and garnered plenty of attention not only for being a Beatles song most have not heard but also for its AI-infused production. Rumors swirled that surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr used generative AI to clone John Lennon's voice for the song. That wasn't true, however. Instead, "stem separation" AI let the producers isolate Lennon's vocals from an existing demo track that was too low-fidelity to be useful for a real track. The AI tools enhanced Lennon's voice by removing background noise and tuning up the voice to make the audio better. It's a bit like how video call platforms use tech to filter out sounds that are not your voice to ensure the person on the other end of the call can hear you. Companies with a lot of archival audio that isn't good quality are experimenting with stem separation too, including Disney Music Group. AI Grammys The Recording Academy, which gives out the Grammys, has been engaged in trying to work out how to incorporate AI used for music production into its infrastructure. Last year, CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke at length about AI and even held a roundtable with record labels, streaming services, artists, and the developers of AI for making music. Apps that use AI to make music, like Tad.AI, Suno, and Udio all face the issue of lawsuits from major music labels, which is only likely to get more complex if questions about award eligibility come into play. Unless you're in the music business, "Now and Then" is just a nice way to get a little more Beatles music with the aid of modern technology. Whether it's an omen of a new way of making and selling music is still up in the air. As one of the most popular bands of all time, The Beatles are something of an outlier. The nominations for "Now and Then" are The Beatles' first Grammy nominations in decades, for obvious reasons. They've been nominated a total of four times for Record of the Year now. But "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Hey Jude," and "Let It Be" all lost the Grammy. With some AI boosting, "Now and Then" might change that losing streak. You might also like...

The Beatles' AI-Assisted Track Makes History, Nominated For The Grammys

In a notable first, The Beatles' track 'Now and Then,' which used AI, has been nominated for Best Rock Performance for Grammys 2025. In a notable first, The Beatles' track 'Now and Then' has been nominated for Best Rock Performance, against Green Day, Pearl Jam, and The Black Keys at the Grammys '25. Originally recorded as a rough demo by John Lennon in the 1970s, this project finally came to fruition in 2023 when AI helped isolate Lennon's vocals, allowing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to complete the song. This nomination signals a shift in how AI can preserve legacy while enabling innovation in music. While some purists question whether AI belongs in creative fields, AI allowed surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to finally complete and release the song in 2023, marking it as a powerful testament to AI's role in both music preservation and innovation. AI Brings Life This last song, 'Now and Then' by The Beatles was a demo given to McCartney by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, recorded on a cassette while Lennon played the piano. McCartney previously worked on Lennon's compositions 'Free As A Bird' and 'Real Love' using AI. With AI assistance from the 'Get Back' documentary, McCartney mixed the song, allowing him to perform with Lennon during his recent tour. Other musicians have similarly explored AI's capabilities to expand their work: Canadian musician Claire Elise Boucher, known as Grimes, for instance, introduced her AI software, Elf.tech, allowing her fans to use her voice through AI to create new tracks. Besides, composer Holly Herndon uses neural networks to transform her compositions into complex soundscapes. Similarly, David Guetta used AI to recreate Eminem's voice in his live performances, showcasing AI's flexibility in creative expression. Additionally, artists like Taryn Southern and Shawn Everett are experimenting with AI tools such as IBM's Watson Beat and OpenAI's Jukebox to enhance music production, creating sounds that blur the line between human and machine creativity. According to Ditto Music Research, a study of over 1200+ Ditto users found that nearly 60% of independent musicians in 2023, were using AI to make music. With AI, artists can now go beyond conventional boundaries, and the industry will witness more AI-assisted music compositions in the days to come.

Beatles' AI-enhanced song 'Now and Then' grabs two Grammy nominations

The Beatles used MAL audio technology, which the production company WingNut Films employed to de-mix the film's mono soundtrack. Amid the global discussions about the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its significant future applications, The Beatles exemplify an ideal approach. The Beatles have notably returned to the Grammy stage, earning nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance with their song "Now and Then." Interestingly, the track has been refined using AI and will compete against artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Beyoncé, setting the stage for a rather unusual Grammys moment.

The Beatles' final song, restored using AI, is up for a Grammy

The Beatles have been nominated for two Grammys -- nearly 50 years after the band officially split up. Their final song, called "Now and Then," was restored last year with the help of AI, and is now up for record of the year alongside the likes of Beyoncé, Charlie XCX, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift. It's also been nominated for best rock performance, where it goes up against Green Day, Pearl Jam, and The Black Keys. Released in November 2023, "Now and Then" started as a demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s. This recording, as well as "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love," was given to Lennon's three surviving bandmates in the '90s, with the hopes of including it in The Beatles Anthology project. However, "Now and Then" was never released, as technology at the time couldn't separate John's vocals and piano to get a clear sound. But in 2021, filmmaker Peter Jackson and his sound team were able to separate the instrumentals and vocals with machine learning technology, allowing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to finally complete the song. Though "Now and Then" was finished using machine learning, it still falls within the bounds of The Grammy's rules surrounding AI. The guidelines currently state that "only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award," but work that contains "elements" of AI material is "eligible in applicable categories." It's a bit strange to see "Now and Then" competing with modern-day music like Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em," but it's been a long time coming. We'll get to see how the Beatles fare during the 2025 Grammy Awards, which takes place on Sunday, February 2nd.