Ringo Starr sets the record straight on Beatles' 'Now and Then' AI controversy

Ringo Starr recently addressed the controversy surrounding the Beatles' song "Now and Then," vehemently dismissing rumours that artificial intelligence (AI) was used to recreate John Lennon's voice. In an interview with AARP magazine, Starr clarified the facts and expressed frustration with the misconceptions circulating about the track's production.

Starr explained that the song originated from a demo recorded by John Lennon in the 1990s. Technical difficulties in separating Lennon's vocals from the instrumentals initially delayed its completion. However, during the production of the Disney+ documentary Get Back with director Peter Jackson, a new AI-based technology emerged, enabling the extraction of Lennon's vocals from a lower-quality cassette recording.

Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Giles Martin collaborated to finalise the track.

McCartney, in a BBC 4 Radio interview, clarified the role of AI, stating, "When we came to make what will be the last Beatles’ record, it was a demo that John had [and] we were able to take John’s voice and get it pure through this AI." He emphasised that AI was used to enhance Lennon's vocals, not to replicate them entirely.

Addressing the rumours, Starr defended the authenticity of the song, stating to AARP, "There were terrible rumours that it’s not John, it’s AI, whatever [expletive] people said. Paul and I would not have done that. It’s a beautiful song and a nice way to finally close that door."

McCartney also shared his reservations about AI in music during the Radio 4 interview, saying, "It’s kind of scary but exciting, because it’s the future. We’ll just have to see where that leads."