James Blake is among popular musicians taking on the music industry, sharing his frustrations with Stan culture, streaming companies and major labels. He shared his feelings in a candid post on his Instagram Stories, encouraging any artist reading his post to hold their heads high and continue creating art that resonates with them. The “Retrograde” singer’s post comes a day later SZA also lashed out at the music industry, criticizing the use of “degenerate” AI among fellow artists.
James Blake Slams Stan Culture, Streaming Platforms and Music Labels in Candid Instagram Post
Blake, an English singer-songwriter known for working with major artists such as Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z and Travis Scott, took to his Instagram Stories to share his thoughts on things he’s noticed have changed within the industry.
For starters, Blake said that audiences can’t trust music critics these days because the most popular writers are paid by music labels. He also said that the comments sections also cannot be taken seriously because they are full of “fake accounts” hoping to create a ripple effect.
According to Blake, YouTube views are also down because music labels are buying them to make their top artists look better than they are. He added: “I can’t trust the streaming numbers because labels are paying for bot farms to drive discovery. »
James Blake seems to be targeting AI Music
The Grammy Award-winning artist didn’t stop there. He appeared to attack industry players who use and support AI, saying listeners “can’t even believe a song was created by human beings.”
“If you’re an artist, remember that in 2026, there isn’t a single part of the system that isn’t rigged. You’re probably doing better than you think,” he concluded.
While it’s unclear what exactly prompted her post, the day before, SZA shared a similar message about the use of AI among her peers, according to The Blast.
In her Instagram Stories post, the “Snooze” singer shared her displeasure that 238 of her songs were allegedly used to train AI robots. She then called those who support the “degenerate” product “disgusting” before saying she would never agree with artificial intelligence.
James Blake previously requested that his production credit on a Kanye West song be removed
This isn’t the first time Blake has spoken openly about musicians staying true to their craft. According to Billboard, the 37-year-old recently asked Kanye West’s production team to remove his producer credit for the song “This One Here” from his latest project, “Bully.”
On social media, Blake said the “spirit” of what he created with West had been almost entirely removed from the track. “My original version is a completely different production in spirit,” he said, before adding that he asked to be removed because he didn’t want to “take credit for other people’s work.”
While likely upsetting, Blake said the decision wasn’t “personal”; it was simply business. “I’ve just reached a point where I no longer want to be credited on music that I can’t affect the end result of,” he said.
Blake had positive thoughts about AI in 2023
During a 2023 interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Blake expressed excitement about the benefits AI could bring to the industry, explaining that certain systems will help musicians create tracks faster.
“I think there are a lot of exciting things happening with this,” he said before discussing a product called “Synplant.”
“…you can insert any sample and the synth will recreate that sound on a synth, like magic – it does it. You don’t have to do anything. It’s like you can just imagine a thing and it…can be there,” he said, adding that before that, artists had to sit down with the synth, learn how to use it, and then create. “There will be many people who [will] make music, who previously were not able to do it the way they want. It’s really interesting,” he said.
Blake has always been concerned about AI replacing someone’s image
On the other hand, Blake said there must be terms and conditions for the use of AI. At the time, his main concern was ensuring that artists were paid fairly. He then said that protecting the “likeness” of musicians was the next hurdle to overcome.
“I just want to help make sure that it doesn’t end up creating music that is like people being sold without them having a piece of it,” he said.