Nearly forty years have passed since John Lennon’s passing, yet the music of the Beatles continues to resonate deeply with fans worldwide. The creation of their latest and final song, ‘Now and Then,’ is accompanied by a compelling story.
The Beatles’ Final New Song: ‘Now and Then’
‘Now and Then’ was produced using advanced AI technology, based on a demo tape recorded by John Lennon at home in 1980. Paul McCartney’s marketing team presents it as “the last Beatles song.”
The Background: How AI Technology Enabled Its Creation
The backstory of ‘Now and Then’ traces back to the 1990s, nearly thirty years ago.
‘Now and Then’ was initially considered as part of ‘The Beatles Anthology’ project in the 1990s. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr reunited to add new vocals and instrumentation to three unreleased John Lennon tracks, resulting in the release of ‘Real Love’ and ‘Free As A Bird.’
However, ‘Now and Then’ was excluded from the project due to the challenging nature of Lennon’s demo and differing opinions among the Beatles. At the time, Paul McCartney remarked that “the last Beatles song was forgotten, languished in a cupboard.”
Now, two decades later, advances in AI and machine learning have made it possible to isolate Lennon’s voice from the demo. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were finally able to complete the song.
© The Beatles A young Ringo Starr on drums alongside his younger self
A Music Video Featuring the Late John and George
The music video was supervised by Peter Jackson, director of the Beatles documentary ‘Get Back’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ The video features AI-generated imagery inspired by footage of George and John from the 1960s: a young George in purple tights and a psychedelic blouse, and a youthful John waving at the camera with a playful smile. Their distinctive personalities are brought to life, and seeing the young John and George standing beside Paul, now in his eighties, evokes a bittersweet and complex joy for fans—far more than simple nostalgia.
While in the studio, hearing John’s voice made it feel as if he were in the next room, and it felt as though we were working together again. It was a joyful feeling.
(Paul McCartney, from a BBC interview)
© The Beatles Young John and George appearing alongside Paul and Ringo
This theme raises important ethical questions, but we now live in an era where it is possible to create works through the voices left behind by artists who are no longer with us. And not just voices—photographs and images as well.