The Beatles have been nominated for two Grammys — nearly 50 years after the band officially split up. Their final song, called “Now and Then,” was restored last year with the help of AI, and is now up for record of the year alongside the likes of Beyoncé, Charlie XCX, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift. It’s also been nominated for best rock performance, where it goes up against Green Day, Pearl Jam, and The Black Keys.
Released in November 2023, “Now and Then” started as a demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s. This recording, as well as “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love,” was given to Lennon’s three surviving bandmates in the ‘90s, with the hopes of including it in The Beatles Anthology project.
However, “Now and Then” was never released, as technology at the time couldn’t separate John’s vocals and piano to get a clear sound. But in 2021, filmmaker Peter Jackson and his sound team were able to separate the instrumentals and vocals with machine learning technology, allowing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to finally complete the song.
Though “Now and Then” was finished using machine learning, it still falls within the bounds of The Grammy’s rules surrounding AI. The guidelines currently state that “only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award,” but work that contains “elements” of AI material is “eligible in applicable categories.”
It’s a bit strange to see “Now and Then” competing with modern-day music like Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” but it’s been a long time coming. We’ll get to see how the Beatles fare during the 2025 Grammy Awards, which takes place on Sunday, February 2nd.
Original author: Emma Roth