Hot Mulligan has apologised and replaced AI-generated art on a tour flyer with a hand-drawn version after fan backlash, adding to the growing pushback against AI from music fans.
The ongoing tension between creativity and artificial intelligence continues to ripple through the music world, and this week emo favourites Hot Mulligan found themselves at the centre of the conversation. The Michigan-based band were recently called out online for using AI-generated art in a flyer promoting their upcoming Philly show, and swiftly jumped on fixing the issue.
The flyer in question was originally created using assets purchased on Etsy, which band member Jonah Kramer admitted he hadn’t realised were AI-generated. When a fan posted about the flyer on X (formerly Twitter), Jonah jumped in from his girlfriend’s account to respond directly.
“I have never purposely/ directly used AI in my life and I do not support the use of AI,” he wrote. “I take responsibility for not realising the assets I bought were made with AI. But I didn’t know and wouldn’t have used them if I did.”
Rather than brushing it off, the Hot Mulligan bassist took swift action. The flyer has since been replaced with a new version, hand-drawn by his girlfriend. “I can’t draw for shit,” he added. The updated flyer is now live on the band’s site and will be used going forward.
In a follow-up post, Jonah’s girlfriend chimed in herself: “Reference images used for the update were real pictures and not generated. AI is trash and I hate that it’s even legal to sell AI graphic design resources on any platform as if they’re your own, so F that Etsy seller too while we’re at it.”
Hot Mulligan’s response is a refreshing moment of accountability in a time when AI-generated art is flooding the creative world with cheap, soulless alternatives. Just last week, Butthole Surfers were criticised for the AI-created cover of their live album Live At The Leather Fly and didn’t respond at all.
Meanwhile, Kesha has also walked back her use of AI for her single “Delusional,” replacing the artwork and posting a new version with full human credits. “AI is a Pandora’s box that we as a society have collectively opened,” she said. “It’s important that we keep human ramifications in mind as we learn how to use it as a tool and not as a replacement.”
Hot Mulligan’s response might not fix the broader issue, but it’s a step in the right direction, and one that acknowledges the value of human-made work in a landscape increasingly being cluttered with digital shortcuts.
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