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Scottish rappers, deaf composers and an AI song called Zygotic Washstands: the biggest hoaxes in pop

Ex-Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flür was conned into believing he was collaborating with a member of Daft Punk – but it’s far from the first time musicians and audiences have been fooled

Faking their accents and reinventing themselves as California rap duo Silibil N’ Brains, they auditioned again, secured a record deal with Sony Music and a support slot with Eminem’s group D12, and kept up the ruse for four years. One of the most extraordinary examples is Japanese composer Mamoru Samuragochi, who claimed he was deaf but could play beautiful melodies on the piano and write his own compositions – his symphony honouring Hiroshima became widely acclaimed in Japan. Last year it was revealed that at least 30 notable metal bands, including While She Sleeps, Bury Tomorrow and Thy Art Is Murder, had fake AI-generated music uploaded to their streaming service accounts without their involvement.

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