The Beatles Unite One Last Time Thanks to AI

The world gets to hear The Beatles in unison once more in their latest track, “Now and Then,” thanks to artificial intelligence. The song, filled with deep emotion and the latest technology, revives vocals from the late John Lennon, harmonising them with fresh contributions from surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Sixty years after Beatlemania first hit, fans across the globe get to celebrate a final encore from the iconic group. The AI-assisted reunion brings forth not just nostalgia but also a sense of completion decades after their last recording.
 

Reviving Lennon’s Voice

 
The adventure started with an old demo of “Now and Then” recorded by Lennon in the late ’70s. The tape, laden with Lennon’s voice accompanied by piano tunes, posed a technical conundrum – the vocals were inseparable from the background music.

Come 2021, and the tools needed for this delicate task were finally available. Peter Jackson, stepping beyond his directorial duties for “The Beatles: Get Back,” adopted advanced audio technology to isolate Lennon’s voice from the original tapes. This breakthrough led McCartney and Starr to add new instrumental tracks, forming a posthumous collaboration.

“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear. It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing,” McCartney expressed in his announcement.
 

Emotional Reunion

 
The process wasn’t just technical; it was an emotional reunion. Starr confessed, “It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room, so it was very emotional for all of us. It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out.”

Adding depth to the new-old track, “Now and Then” features a string arrangement and a guitar solo as a nod to the late George Harrison, integrating the essence of each Beatle in this last piece. Harrison’s previously recorded guitar pieces were also part of this unique assembly.

George’s wife, Olivia Harrison, shared, “George felt the technical issues with the demo were insurmountable in 1995. If he were here today, he would have wholeheartedly joined Paul and Ringo in completing ‘Now and Then.’”
 

Legacy for the Fans

 
Fans are excited about the new song “Now and Then.” For them, it’s more than new music. It’s a special treasure that shows the unbreakable friendship between the band members and their deep love for creating and performing music.

Sean Ono Lennon, son of John Lennon, shared his feelings: “It was incredibly touching to hear them working together after all the years that dad had been gone. It’s the last song my dad, Paul, George, and Ringo got to make together. It’s like a time capsule and all feels very meant to be.”

This new track, presented alongside the band’s first single “Love Me Do,” serves as a bridge connecting the group’s humble beginnings with their extraordinary legacy, offering fans a full-circle moment.
 

A Sentimental Farewell

 
The Beatles’ tale feels more complete now with this final musical note. The track symbolises more than the technological triumphs of our time; it represents the emotional connections and the shared history that millions continue to hold dear.

The release, paired with a documentary, marks a sentimental end to the group’s vibrant discography, proving that while the Beatles’ era might be in the past, their music continues to create warm, new memories.

So, as the curtains close on the Beatles’ journey with the release of “Now and Then,” the world listens, remembers, and cherishes this last gift from the legendary foursome. It’s not every day that a new Beatles song graces our radios, making this moment one for the history books.