2 More Beatles Songs Poised for New AI Remedy
After a historic win at the 2025 Grammy Awards where they were awarded for Best Rock Performance for their song “Now and Then“, The Beatles look to continue exploring the newest technology AI has to offer by applying similar techniques to two other songs in their extensive catalog.
The song “Now and Then” was the first ever AI-assisted song to win a Grammy Award. The band itself, consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, disbanded in 1970, but thanks to the many home demos recorded by Lennon during his time as a solo artist, a number of his recordings were saved and remixed for later work by the surviving members of the Beatles during the 1990s and their subsequent Anthology 1, 2, and 3 releases.
“Free as a Bird” & “Real Love” look next in line for AI as reported
As reported by The Japan News, early remixes of the two anthology songs “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” have been screened by Beatles offspring sons Sean Ono Lennon and Dhani Harrison using the same technology that helped create the vocal clean-ups that allowed for “Now and Then” to be released appropriately and enjoyed by fans. A quote from the report states:
“I hope for it to be worked on the same way … to remix those original songs using the same technology as we used on ‘Now And Then,’ because they didn’t have that in the ’90s,” said Dhani.
He and Sean Ono Lennon, son of John Lennon, listened to a version of “Free as a Bird” with the vocals and piano separated by AI. “We were both very impressed at how it sounded,” said Dhani.
Currently the physical releases of the songs can be heard either on CD or on vinyl as track one on Beatles Anthology 1 and Anthology 2, as seen below in the photos. A 7 inch ’45 too was released but all of these releases are from the same original mixes that were done during the Anthology series thanks to producer and Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne.
Technology at the time of their original releases in 1995/96, was limited compared to today’s standards, so most of John’s vocals are buried under noticeable static and reverb that was limited by its technologies at the time he recorded them on his personal recorder in the mid to late 1970s. The tracks are still a treasure to have, but to some listeners; it’s time to give them the same AI treatment was done with the Grammy Award winning tune.
The Beatles No Stranger to New Technologies
The Beatles have never been one to shy away from innovation and technological advancements when it comes to their music and sound. The group was some of the first to popularize many recording techniques that we hear regularly. Examples of some of these techniques included in their songs below are:
-Reverse Vocal tracking in “Rain” and “I’m So Tired”
-Reverse Guitar Solos in “I’m Only Sleeping” and Strawberry Fields Forever”
-Track Speed Manipulation in “In My Life” and “When I’m 64”
The newest addition of technology comes from the hands and development of Director Peter Jackson and what is dubbed MAL software. MAL stands for “Machine Assisted Learning” and as seen below explains how the technology works and how it’s been applied to the music of The Beatles.
No Timeline for release just yet…
At the time of this article, there is no official set date as to when we, the adoring fans, will have an opportunity to hear the new mixes of these songs. However, the premise of them being in the works and being approved by some of the closest to the project shows promise that we may see something sooner than later. The two songs will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their release in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Subsequent releases from The Beatles in the last few years seem to suggest the end of the year to be when we might see something, but time will only tell. Fans of the Fab Four are no strangers to lengthy timelines regarding official releases. “Now and Then” was released in 2023, over a quarter of a century later after it was first tinkered with during the Anthology sessions.
For updates on this story and others, stay tuned to 94.7 WCSX and at WCSX.com for all the latest news, stories, and more on all your favorite classic rock artists.
