Did Mikey Shulman Have A Bad Piano Teacher?

Ok, I'll bite. Here's my take on Suno AI CEO Mikey Shulman's provocative interview on 2OVC, a venture capitalist podcast.

TL;DR: Mikey Shulman must have had a bad piano teacher. Anyone who thinks people hate making music because it's hard has been traumatized by bad music-education experiences. I say that sincerely as a music educator myself. I don't mean to pile on (Shulman has been summarily dragged online for his comments) but his view that making music "sucks" and that skill no longer matters is cynical, deeply flawed and blatantly self-serving.

As many have pointed out, Shulman overlooks the intrinsic joy and value of doing hard things, something that lies at the very heart of creative pursuits like music-making. (I know he's trolling me and I should stop writing, but my fingers just keep typing.) The problem isn’t that music is too hard; it’s that our culture and education systems often fail to nurture the love of music itself. Music educators (yes, I'm one of them) too often fail to create meaningful creative experiences that are rewarding in-and-of themselves. Don't play a song because you'll get a sticker or a trophy. Play a song because it feels good to express your inner soul. How we create assessment rubrics for “expressing your inner soul” in an education context is a fascinating topic for another time.

Don't play a song because you'll get a sticker or a trophy. Play a song because it feels good to express your inner soul.

As many have pointed out, Shulman’s own endeavor (building a successful AI music company) is a testament to the perseverance required to tackle hard challenges. By his own logic, he should despise his work because it's difficult. Yet he persists, suggesting that even he understands—on some level—that challenge and reward are deeply intertwined. (Breathe, just breathe.)

What surprised me about the interview was that I didn't disagree with everything Shulman said. For example, his recognition of the potential for deeper fan engagement resonated with me. His mention of Timbaland’s remix contest on Suno is a good example of how artists can connect with their audiences in creative and meaningful ways. This kind of engagement can build community, inspire creativity, and even generate remarkable art.

Shulman, however, seems to conflate human-driven collaboration with something entirely different: the mass production of meme-songs by non-musicians using text-to-music prompts. The former nurtures connection and creativity; the latter devalues music through novelty and disposability. And yes, memes are gonna meme. And memes can be works of art. But they have to do what great art does: help us make sense of life’s chaos and show us new ways to think, feel, and understand the world. AI-generated music, by contrast, rehashes the past and reassembles the familiar by definition. It’s akin to a musical tribute act: fun for a campy, nostalgic night out with friends but not to be confused with the real thing.

Shulman also leans heavily on the idea of the “democratization of music.” On the surface, this sounds appealing. After all, who doesn’t like democracy and music, right? But the phrase obscures an important distinction between music-making and music consumption. Music has always been accessible to everyone at its most fundamental level. You can clap, hum, stomp, or sing without the need for technology. To imply that laptops and AI are now the gateway to music-making raises the bar for entry rather than lowering it. This kind of "democratization" is less about empowering people to make music and more about enabling them to mimic existing “celebrity sounds.” It’s a kind of quiet karaoke that reflects a broader cultural obsession with imitating celebrity rather than fostering genuine self-expression. When we frame music-making as something that requires high-tech tools, we strip it of its organic, deeply human roots.

To imply that laptops and AI are now the gateway to music-making raises the bar for entry rather than lowering it.

It comes down to this: we don’t need AI to achieve the vision Shulman describes. We can create interactive, responsive music experiences without the cultural and environmental costs of AI. We can design simple, intuitive tools that empower non-musicians. We can foster meaningful collaborations between superfans and artists. We can nurture great artists and build a music-positive education culture. These things are not only possible without AI, they might just be better without it.

Look, I think AI music is here to stay; you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Venture capitalists smell blood in the water and they're circling. There will be no end to the number of poop songs, quirky mashups, and quirky poop-song mashups. Some will be good for a laugh. For what it’s worth, I still don't think we need generative AI to build the future of music. And I wish Mikey Shulman had had a better piano teacher when he was a kid.