How A Musical Artist Used AI To Land A Record Deal

In July, Hallwood Media signed Oliver McCann, better known as imoliver, to what it called the first record deal for an AI music creator. McCann, who is 37 and comes from a visual design background, has no training in music. He started using AI tools to bring his lyrics to life and found success on the platform Suno. His song Stone gathered more than 3 million streams on Suno alone, leading to his signing with Hallwood.

McCann has been open about the way he works. He does not play instruments or sing but uses AI models to generate versions of songs. He often creates up to 100 variations before settling on a final track. His music ranges from indie pop to electro soul and country rap. Under the deal his track Stone was re-released on all streaming services on 8 August 2025, followed by a debut album scheduled for October.

Hallwood Media, founded by former Geffen Records president Neil Jacobson, presented the deal as a step in showing how new technology can be part of music making. Jacobson said imoliver’s work represents “the future of our medium” while McCann described the contract as “a huge moment” that shows the industry is opening to new forms of creativity. Suno chief executive Mikey Shulman also called it a milestone for AI music.

While McCann is the first AI creator to secure a contract with a traditional label, he is not the first to build an audience. Platforms such as Suno and Udio have helped a growing group of creators release music without instruments or studios. Many of these songs reach TikTok, YouTube and streaming services where they compete with traditional artists for royalties.

 

What Does AI Music Look Like Today?

 

AI music still makes up a very small share of overall listening. Deezer reported that only 0.5% of streams on its service come from AI songs. The same company also said up to 70% of plays in that category are artificial, created through bots or repeat streams. Even so, 18% of all songs uploaded daily to Deezer are AI generated, showing the sheer volume of music being made through these tools.

The global recorded music market was worth $29.6 billion in 2023 according to industry figures, with about $20 billion of that from streaming. How much AI music contributes to that sum is unclear. Spotify has not released numbers, and Udio has declined to comment on its user base. Suno also did not respond to requests for figures. Both platforms operate on free and premium tiers, which makes it hard to measure their exact scale.

 

 

For creators like McCann, AI tools lower the barrier to entry. What once required a studio can now be done with a laptop and a text prompt. This has drawn comparisons to the early 2000s when file sharing platforms such as Napster changed the way music reached audiences. Experts like Josh Antonuccio of Ohio University believe the number of AI generated tracks will keep increasing as younger generations grow up using these tools.

 

What Other AI Music Milestones Have There Been?

 

In March Spotify released its first songs featuring AI generated singers. Spanish artist Pedro Sandoval, who has long worked with digital art, introduced two voices named ZKY-18 and Dirty Marilyn. Their sound resembled human performers so closely that listeners could not easily tell the difference. The project had been in development for three years, and the songs were presented at an event in Madrid attended by figures from art, music and technology.

Sandoval, originally from Venezuela, has described AI as a tool that expands creative possibilities when used carefully. He believes the value of such work depends on the instructions and refinements an artist applies during the process. Spotify has certified these tracks as the first of their kind in Spain.

The use of AI voices follows other experiments in synthetic music. Viral projects such as Velvet Sundown have already shown how AI can generate entire albums, lyrics and artwork. At the same time lawsuits have been filed against Suno and Udio by record companies including Sony, Warner and Universal over copyright concerns. More than 1,000 musicians, among them Kate Bush and Annie Lennox, have also voiced fears that new laws might weaken their control of creative work.

Even among all these disputes, some artists are embracing music and AI. Will.i.am, Timbaland and Imogen Heap have each experimented with the technology. Creators without traditional skills using AI tools gives a chance to make music they once could not. For established musicians, this could feel as though their talents are being exploited in the name of technological innovation. Where is the line drawn between innovation and simply ripping off creatives?