John Ondrasik calls Boy George’s AI use “common in the music business”
John OndrasikSinger-songwriter publishing signed Washington Post opinion commentary
John Ondrasik defended Boy George and treated his AI use as common rather than disqualifying.
Responding to
Boy George remained the song’s author because he wrote its lyrics and melody and used AI as a creative collaborator.
“Whatever you think of AI, the practice is common in the music business these days.”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Did Boy George remain the author of an AI-generated song?
Bandcamp removed Boy George's “We Will Dance Again” under a policy barring music generated wholly or substantially by AI. Boy George had disclosed using AI but said he wrote the lyrics and melody, treated AI as a collaborator, and remained the song's author. He challenged the platform's ability to detect and consistently police AI music. Bandcamp cited its preexisting AI rule. Boy George also alleged that political objections to the song's pro-Israel message prompted the removal; the available record does not establish that motive.
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
Signed opinion defending Boy George and the song while treating the Bandcamp dispute as secondary to the political backlash.
Before the quotation
Ondrasik describes the hostility Boy George faced over the song’s pro-Israel message.
After the quotation
He calls the Bandcamp dispute a sideshow, making this defense weaker on the precise platform-policy question.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The signed commentary normalizes the disputed production method while defending the artist and song.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Boy George
More from this case
Read the full caseBoy George reveals organic re-recording, defends AI's role in pop music
“As much as people kind of feel like they're against AI, I mean, all pop music for the last 30 years is artificial intelligence. Every band uses computers on stage, even rock bands.”Read statement
Boy George disputes claim that AI use erased his song's authorship
“I wrote that song. The lyrics are mine, the melody is mine.”Read statement
Alex Galbraith disputes Boy George's authorship of his AI-generated song
“The fact that no one made it, that it’s the creation of a machine that hallucinates in exchange for electricity, only intensifies the sick, empty feeling the track leaves behind.”Read statement
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- John Ondrasik calls Boy George’s AI use “common in the music business”
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The Dispute Index. "John Ondrasik calls Boy George’s AI use “common in the music business”". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/169-john-ondrasik-defended-boy-george-and-treated-his