Sumerian Records founder Ash Avildsen recently dropped a heavy grenade on social media, launching one of the strongest attacks so far against AI-generated music and the major labels allegedly embracing it.

In 2025, AI has spread and multiplied all around us to such an extent that it has become unbearable. Because of that, this kind of stance from people within the music industry is of crucial importance in the battle ahead of us.

In addition to that, Ash’s message wasn’t subtle at all: “human musicians are being erased, and the industry is letting it happen.” And according to him, January will mark the beginning of a “new era”, when a solution will be presented as a direct counter-strike to the raising AI threat.

So what exactly is happening here? Let’s break it down and analyse the whole stetement!

1. Avildsen’s AI Rant

In a comprehensive and fiery Instagram statement on December 5th, Avildsen accused major labels and tech giants of many things including:

• welcoming AI bands to streaming platforms
• streaming platforms raping artists’ royalties
• behaving like a shareholders
• destroying the value of human-made art

“Allowing these AI bands on Spotify is like booking a show where your ticket money gets split with a computer who played before you with no beating heart.”

He also called for a “velvet revolution” among artists and labels, as a form of collective refusal to accept AI music sharing space with humans. But what’s even more interesting, in the end he teased a January launch of a “solution” that would “draw a clear line in the sand on which side of history musicians and those that work with them” want to be.

However, Avlidsen didn’t stop there, as he called for an open debate with executives from major record labels who might want to defend AI.

2. Why This Matters Now?

Let’s stop pretending for a moment here. This isn’t just a reaction from some loud personality in the music industry. We’ve simply hit rock bottom. We’ve crashed into a wall. And that wall is called AI slop that is destroying what’s best in us, the human and the primal, as we speak. AI bands are flooding streaming platforms while the people who run those platforms have no intention of doing anything about it. In fact, they intend to profit from it.

• AI artists are flooding Spotify faster than moderators can track them
• Streaming payouts (already bad) get even worse when AI tracks inflate the pool
• Labels and DSPs need content volume, not necessarily human creativity
• Big Tech is pushing AI tools that can generate music in seconds

For hard working musicians dancing on the edge of being underground like many of today’s sleaze, metalcore, alt metal, and modern rock bands, this could be a devastating blow. Don’t forget, margins are already razor-thin. And Ash Avildsen sure knows it.

3. But wait! Who Is Ash Avildsen?

Ash Avildsen is actually one of us. Before he founded the record label Sumerian Records, he began his metal journey with his progressive metalcore band Reflux. Maybe the name Tosin Abasi means a bit more to you, since the well-known guitarist was also one of the founding members of this band. Besides that, Ash was involved in directing films, doing comic books, and overseeing festivals. From the well-known bands that came out of Sumerian Records, we can name a few:

• Asking Alexandria
• Animals as Leaders
• Bad Omens
• Black Veil Brides
• Poppy
• and our usual suspects here on Junkyard like Starbenders and Diamante among others

4. The January ‘Solution’ and What Could It Actually Be?

As said, at the end of his statement, Avildsen dropped the aforementioned bombshell that pretty much shook the whole music industry. Or is going to do it! Starting in January, Sumerian Records will present a solution that will show how to fight against the AI plague. Now let’s consider and analyse some possible scenarios and what this could actually be.

A. Human-Only Platform and New Distribution Pipeline

A curated DSP alternative that bans AI material completely – This is certainly a positive thing, but it’s not the key solution to the problem. If he plans to create his own platform, the big question is how many users it will attract. Others have tried to knock Spotify and the rest off the throne, and it didn’t exactly work out for them.

B. Early-Access Model

A premium release window where artists profit before music hits Spotify or YouTube – An interesting option, for sure. A window in which true fans, (and hopefully we journalists as well), will get the chance to buy/listen music directly from their favorite bands before it appears on the usual platforms gives a sense of exclusivity and brings fans closer to the bands.

C. Industry Coalition

A unified front of labels, managers, and artists pushing for protected spaces for human-made art – This should’ve probably happened already. Unfortunately, we don’t live in such a cheerful world…

D. Ethical Certification System

Certification is mandatory. But not for human bands. It’s for AI frauds. Sadly, however, the big streaming services don’t want to do even that.

Whatever it is, Avildsen clearly believes this will spark a “new era.” That alone guarantees headlines when it drops.

5. What About the Scene?

When it comes to what’s happening right now, absolutely no one is immune. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about an underground sleaze rock band or a well-known metalcore act, AI is simply faster and more efficient. The rock and metal scene as a whole is no longer at the level it once was, and in its already shaken state it’s definitely not ready to compete with this artificial plague. The scene is in fact, just more exposed than ever. Let’s repeat some of the problems bands already are facing:

• Royalty dilution hits niche genres first
• AI bands can easily mimic the music with shocking accuracy
• Artists don’t get compensation if AI is trained on their music
• Labels already operate on thin margins not being transparent
• Streaming revenue is critical for smaller artists
• Underground music (or any) relies heavily on authenticity

For all these bands, from every single rock and metal genre, who already fight for visibility, AI music is yet another competitor. Only this one has an infinite output. That’s why for now, some bands decided to take their music off from services like Spotify.

6. Junkyard Conclusion

Ash Avildsen definitely did not make an isolated rant here, but instead drew clear battle lines, showing the direction the music industry is heading as we approach the year 2026. And in that, he is completely right.

However, my experience with revolutions tells me only one thing, and it’s probably familiar to many of you as well: revolutions succeed only if the majority gathers and agrees on one single idea. Partial attempts have never in history led to results, and this one won’t be any different.

Therefore support from this majority is more than needed. Support from BIG BANDS is what is needed most actually! We need the Metallicas of this world to raise their voices and stand in defense of human dignity. But for some currently unknown reason, they remain silent, and that silence truly sounds deafeningly loud…

And if this is your first time encountering this, just take a look at the rest of Ash’s post on Instagram where he showed several of those abominations, the AI bands. Just look at those names and those numbers. Catastrophic!

If you didn’t know anything about The Velvet Revolution: it happened in Czechoslovakia in 1989 , and it was a non-violent transition of power from communism and command economy to a democratic parliamentary republic which later seized to exist after Czech Republic and Slovakia peacefully exited the union in 1992.

By the way, I talked about this topic back in March 2025 in a YouTube video, which absolutely no one cared about since it has gathered a miserable 29 views so far.

JP

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