Timbaland has slammed today’s music as “bland” and “boring”.
In a new interview with The Inner Court, the producer – who’s crafted hits songs for the likes of Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Madonna, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and more – shares his thoughts on the current state of music and AI’s role in it.
According to Timbaland, the music industry has felt the impact of political and social divisions, particularly in the wake of the recent US election, and that disconnect is reflected in today’s music.
“You could feel the pressure of the dividedness, and I hate that. This whole election divided us,” he says. “What I mean by that is it divided the music. The music sounds bland, it sounds boring.”
Timbaland goes on to praise artificial intelligence as a source of “pure”, creative expression in music, saying, “We talk about AI, and that is the only thing that has a pure soul right now. That you can create something and just express your true feelings and it comes out beautiful.”
Timbaland calls today’s music “bland” and “boring,” admits there’s currently no well-known artist whose music moves him, and praises AI by saying it’s the only thing that has a pure soul.
(🎥 The Inner Court/Victor Oladipo/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/rquyHrRdCo
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) March 21, 2025
Controversial as they may be, Timbaland’s views on AI are hardly surprising. The producer previously admitted to spending 10 hours a day using Suno AI. And in 2023, he shared an AI-generated track featuring the late rapper, Notorious B.I.G. He later told Business Insider that he’s planning on making an entire posthumous Biggie album using the technology, to the horror of many fans.
Timbaland’s latest comments add to the ongoing debate about AI’s increasingly pervasive presence in music. While some view AI as a tool for democratising music creation and innovation, others like Nick Cave are far more skeptical of AI’s ability to replicate human emotion and artistry.
Major labels are already integrating AI into production, with companies like Sony and Universal Music Group exploring AI-assisted songwriting and vocal cloning. Meanwhile, streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube are introducing AI-powered tools for music creation, which certainly questions about the future of originality in music.
