Pete Townshend admits he’s “quite interested” in getting AI to finish some of the hundreds of unreleased songs he’s written: “There might be some hits!”
From reimagining 1973 album Quadrophenia as a rock ballet to his role as The Who’s chief lyricist, Pete Townshend is always working on new projects. In fact, he admits he’s probably got 450 pieces of unfinished music lying around – and he’s not averse to using AI to aid his creative exploits.
Townshend has recently said that he wouldn’t shy away from using AI to help finish off tracks. “I’ve managed to wade through about half of [my unfinished music],” he tells The Late Show’s host, Stephen Colbert. “What’s interesting is… I don’t know what to do with it! I’m quite interested in AI [to see what it makes of it].”
READ MORE: “One of the difficulties Roger had was Zak jumped straight into Instagram and started to mouth off”: Pete Townshend reveals the real reason why The Who fired Zak Starkey
While some artists are adamantly against the use of AI, Townshend is open to the idea. “I’m quite interested in [using it to rework] some of my old songs that didn’t quite work,” he explains. “I didn’t get them right first time round…”
“[If I put stuff] onto Suno or some AI music machine, [I could see] what it can make of it,” he continues. “There might be some hits!”
As intrigued as Townshend is by the new technology, Colbert then reminds us of the controversial side of using (and inadvertently training) AI software like Suno. He mentions music that’s “doing very well” that’s entirely “by robots” – an issue that has been detracting attention from genuine bands.
Recently, Welsh rockers Holding Absence have spoken out about AI’s impact on the industry. Back in September, singer Lucas Woodland posted on X to discuss AI band Bleeding Verse, which cites Holding Absence as one of its ‘inspirations. “So, an AI ‘band’ who cite us as an influence (ie, it’s modelled off our music) have just overtaken us on Spotify, in only two months,” he wrote.
“It’s shocking, it’s disheartening, it’s insulting – most importantly – it’s a wake-up call,” he continues, before urging listeners to “oppose AI music, or bands like us stop existing”.
So, an AI “band” who cite us as an influence (ie, it’s modelled off our music) have just overtaken us on Spotify, in only TWO months.
It’s shocking, it’s disheartening, it’s insulting – most importantly – it’s a wake up call.
Oppose AI music, or bands like us stop existing.
— Lu (@Lucaswoodland) September 30, 2025
It’s not the first time Townshend has entertained the possibility of using AI in his work. Speaking to The Times back in March, he said [via Guitar World]: “It is a tremendous irritation to Who fans that I don’t just stick to the old catalogue and do it until I die… If I told AI, ‘Write a load of Pete Townshend songs like he used to in 1973,’ a lot of fans would be really pleased”.
Back in 2023, however, the Who legend was far less enthusiastic about AI. While he did note that it could serve as a “helpful” tool, he feared its takeover. “With respect to AI, I’m hopeful… but I think, when it becomes what drives the machine, then we have to be careful,” he told the Broken Record Podcast.
He was particularly fearful of AI taking over the “artistic” realm. “I think, by this time next year, the landscape will be completely different,” he predicted. “We won’t know which way is up, we won’t know what’s been created by AI and what’s been created by humans.”
“Everything is going to get very blurred and very confusing, and I think we might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene,” he concluded. “I really think it could be that serious, and that doesn’t fill me with joy. It makes me feel apprehensive, and I’m preparing to feel sad about this.”
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