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The Beatles’ “Now and Then” Wins at the Grammys: An Unexpected Return
Thanks to the use of technology, the historic band wins the award for best rock interpretation, sparking debates on the evolution of music
Isabella V3 February 2025

 

The celebrated British band won its 14th Grammy Award for best rock performance thanks to Now and Then, a song completed with the help of AI. The win generated debates in the music industry as the song marks a historic end for the Beatles.

Key points:

  • A historic Grammy: Now and Then won in the Best Rock Performance category at the 67th Grammy Awards.
  • AI and music: The song was completed thanks to technology, isolating John Lennon’s voice from a 1977 demo.
  • Division of opinion: The use of AI raises ethical questions about musical creativity and the future of the industry.
  • The Beatles’ last award: The win closes a chapter that began more than 60 years ago with the band’s first Grammy.


At the 67th Grammy Awards, the Beatles wrote a new chapter in their legendary musical career, winning the award for best rock performance thanks to Now and Then. The song, based on a demo recording by John Lennon dating back to 1977, was completed through the use of advanced AI technology, which allowed the former Beatle’s voice to be isolated and embedded in an arrangement edited by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and archival recordings by George Harrison. The award ceremony sparked heated debate, with one side of the public praising the innovation and the other expressing fears about possible future implications for the music industry.

The history of Now and Then is rooted in the past. In 1994, Yoko Ono handed over to the surviving Beatles some unreleased recordings by Lennon, including the track in question. McCartney, Starr and Harrison began working on the song as part of the Anthology project, but technological limitations at the time prevented them from finalizing the track. Only decades later, with the help of director Peter Jackson and his team, who had developed advanced audio separation tools during the making of the documentary Get Back, was it possible to isolate Lennon’s voice from the original piano.

The completion of Now and Then raised discussions about the legitimacy of AI in musical art. While the technology made it possible to symbolically reunite the Beatles for one last time, it also fueled fears about a future in which AI could replace human creativity. The case of the controversial track Heart On My Sleeve, which simulated the voices of Drake and The Weeknd without their consent, demonstrated how current and complex the debate is.

Despite the criticism, the award won at the Grammys represents a significant recognition for the band, which with Now and Then officially closed a circle that began more than six decades ago. During the ceremony, Sean Ono Lennon accepted the award on behalf of the group, emphasizing the importance of passing on the Beatles’ music to new generations.

The band, with this achievement, adds a new milestone to its timeless legacy, proving that the appeal of their repertoire continues to have a profound impact on the contemporary music scene.

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