When Everyone Sounds the Same: From Grunge to AI

The year is 1991.

"Grunge" (though I've always f*cking hated that term) is emerging as a disruptive force in music, led by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and countless other contemporaries. I could talk music all day (I used to for a living), so the list is endless.

What happened when these bands started selling out shows, appearing on music charts, and resonating with a generation of youth who had enough of the world?

The record labels went all-in, capitalizing on this movement by creating countless clones. They called it “Post-Grunge." I still shiver at that label.

In essence, it all started sounding the same. The music was watered down and lost its soul.

The beauty of AI is that it makes us more efficient and can correct our mistakes, but it reminds me so much of post-grunge, where everyone's starting to sound the same.

There are numerous days when I avoid social media altogether because I read posts that are clearly AI generated, and the once-unique voices are all but lost.

It's sad. I even see it with people I deeply respect. I don't blame them, I just miss their authenticity.

My urge to you is simple, don't rely too heavily on AI to craft your content. Your words will just get lost in a timeline of posts that sound exactly like yours. Trust me, I see it daily, sometimes even hourly.

Let AI rearrange your thoughts, fix your grammar, or even challenge you, but please don't let it replace your authenticity. Even those who claim to be prompt experts can never replicate your true voice, even when trained, because you're fueled by emotion.

And that's what makes you special. It's what makes you authentic.

PS. It seems appropriate to end my thought with an appropriate Kurt Cobain quote to further emphasize my point: "I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not."

Peace, Love, Empathy....Chris Toplack