Saying that one of David Bowie’s albums doesn’t sound like another is like observing that their running times are different. It’s an accurate statement but misses the larger point. The notion of Bowie as an ever-changing musical chameleon was always somewhat overstated, but his creative restlessness ensured that even records from the same period made with the same core group of musicians still sound distinct from each other. However, even by that standard, 1983’s Let’s Dance
- both the album and its title track – represented a major break with his past work, with only the shift from Diamond Dogs’ Orwell-inspired glam rock to the “plastic soul” of Young Americans coming close.

The record began with a chance meeting. Following an incredible string of late-70s hits with Chic, in the early 80s Nile Rodgers turned his attention to producing other artists and his own solo album. Rodgers also enjoyed New York City’s nightlife, and while partying with Billy Idol, he saw David Bowie in a nightclub and introduced himself. 
A conversation about shared musical touchstones opened the door to a more formal meeting, which led to Bowie inviting him to work together.

Today, in partnership with YouTube, we’re announcing Google DeepMind’s Lyria, our most advanced AI music generation model to date, and two AI experiments designed to open a new playground for creativity:

• Dream Track – an experiment in YouTube Shorts designed to help deepen connections between artists, creators, and fans through music creation.
• Music AI tools – a set of tools we’re designing with artists, songwriters, and producers to help bolster their creative processes.

To develop these projects, we’ve brought together technical experts from across Google with a diverse range of world-renowned artists and songwriters to explore how generative music technologies can responsibly shape the future of music creation. We’re excited about building new technologies that can enhance the work of professional musicians and the artist community, and deliver a positive contribution to the future of music.