The legendary band The Beatles received two Grammy nominations nearly fifty years after their official breakup. Their latest song, “Now and Then,” restored with the help of artificial intelligence, is competing for Record of the Year. Among the contenders are stars like Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift. The song is also nominated for Best Rock Performance, where it will compete with Green Day, Pearl Jam, and The Black Keys.
“Now and Then” began as a demo recording by John Lennon in the late 1970s. In the 1990s, this recording, along with “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love,” was given to the three surviving Beatles for the Anthology project. However, the song was never released due to the technical limitations of the time, which made it impossible to separate Lennon’s vocals from the instrumental backing.
In 2021, director Peter Jackson and his audio team were able to use machine learning technologies to separate the vocals and instruments. This allowed Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to finish the song. Although “Now and Then” was completed using machine learning, it complies with Grammy rules regarding AI. The current rules state that “only human creators can be nominated for the award,” but works with AI elements can be considered in relevant categories.
It’s fascinating to see The Beatles competing with contemporary musicians like Beyoncé at the 2025 Grammys, which will take place on February 2. This is yet another example of how technology is changing the music world, allowing classic recordings to be revived for new generations.
