As artificial intelligence continues to divide the music industry, Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers has made it clear exactly where he stands on the debate.
Speaking during a recent interview with Primordial Radio, Myers didn’t hold back when discussing the growing trend of artists using AI-powered songwriting tools to help generate lyrics, melodies and ideas.
“That’s awful,” Myers said. “You can hear it, dude. It’s so bad. How about you actually live a little life, go through some shit, and then write a song about it?”
While the guitarist acknowledged the long standing tradition of collaborating with other songwriters, he drew a firm line when it comes to involving artificial intelligence in the creative process (per Blabbermouth).
“Here’s the thing: you can write with other people,” he explained. “[But] I’m not writing with artificial intelligence.”
Day to Day is OK
Myers admitted he regularly uses ChatGPT in his day to day life but insists songwriting should remain a human endeavour:
“I ask ChatGPT a million questions a day. It’s not ‘how to write a song’ or ‘write a song with me’.”
The comments arrive at a time when AI-generated music is becoming increasingly common across the industry, with some artists and producers embracing new technology while others warn it risks stripping creativity and authenticity from the songwriting process.
“If you can sleep at night and you got a Number One song because you wrote it with your iPhone and some computer told you how to sing it, that’s your burden to carry, man, not mine,” he said.
In one of his strongest remarks, Myers pointed to Shinedown‘s own track record as proof that success doesn’t require artificial assistance:
“Listen, this is the most cocky thing I’ll ever say in my life — we got 24 Number Ones without using a computer.”
Shinedown ‘Safe And Sound’
His views echo comments recently made by frontman Brent Smith, who confirmed that no artificial intelligence was used during the creation of the band’s latest album, Ei8ht, which arrived in May.
“For us, we’re not into it,” Smith previously said. “We want music to be made by people with souls and with a consciousness.”
The singer also questioned the long term implications of relying on AI for creative work, arguing that genuine human connection remains at the heart of great music.
“There’s an energy between people that are alive,” Smith explained. “And there’s something incredible about when you put human beings in a room with each other and give them instruments.”
As debates around AI continue to intensify throughout the music world, Shinedown have firmly planted their flag on the side of human creativity.
Shinedown Australian tour with Bush
- Sunday, September 20th – Brisbane, Riverstage
- Wednesday, September 23rd – Sydney, Hordern Pavilion
- Friday, September 25th – Melbourne, John Cain Arena
- Sunday, September 27th – Adelaide, Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre
- Tuesday, September 29th – Perth, HBF Stadium
Pick up your tickets here.
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