Salon Essay Argues AI Music Lacks the Human Essence of Discovery

In an essay published October 4, 2026, Salon pushes back against claims that generative AI will replace streaming. The piece responds to a post on X by @nicksaraev, who declared that Spotify, Apple Music, and streaming are "over" because AI music from tools like Suno v6 pro has "solved infinite personalized music." The author, a former college radio volunteer who worked in music procurement, argues that AI-generated tracks lack the history, struggle, catharsis, and exploration that make music meaningful. Recalling sorting mailers from record labels and using RIYL stickers to pick albums, the writer describes crate digging as a source of discovery that introduced them to Hot Chip, Sea Wolf, and Fleet Foxes. The essay also recounts a childhood "custom" cassette from Kidselebration, a 1986 company that dubbed different names into identical songs, as an early example of false personalization. The author streams about four hours of music daily and insists that AI music, despite technical improvement, remains flat and forgettable. The piece concludes with a plea: don't send robot music.