For a long time Upstate, New York has been somewhat isolated compared to other Melee regions. We built our communities with local players from cities like Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, and Binghamton. We have a good amount of talent in my opinion. Tournament events are pretty consistent in Upstate although they are not as frequent as events like Nebulous in New York City which are 2 to 3 times a week, but we have local events like Cusetown Beatdown in Syracuse which is a fun monthly that is also partnered with the Syracuse biweeklies and all events being held at The Vault in downtown Syracuse, but we don’t get a lot of traveling talent coming through. In my 4 yrs being a part of the Upstate Melee Community, I have seen a few players from New York City, such as The Moon, DJ Nintendo, and Hax$ come through for some of our annual or monthly events. I also remember Plank coming through to compete against the Upstate heroes. We didn’t defend the area against all invaders but we put up a fight, but as the battle for king, it seems to have been decided long ago with Rochester’s own JesiahTEG. In the time I have been here Jesiah has dominated the region, consistently beating players like Pika Pika, Mask, Jank, Beta, and Manalord. With his 2 characters being Marth and Fox he has slashed, grabbed, shined and kicked his way to victory. There have been many challengers over the years to go head to head against this region's number 1 but have come up short in Grand Finals. He hasn’t remained undefeated over the years but he has won the most Grand Finals in the region. He defeated Gravy back in the day before he went down to Florida and leveled up to 20GX. JesiahTEG is a player of unquestionable skill and has cemented his status as the greatest of all time in upstate. In recent years he has lost sets to some new players on the rise. AndrewAJT the Ice Climbers player from Connecticut who took a Grand Finals set from Jesiah but stopped coming to events because of issues with his hands. IBDW and Jank who have each respectively taken sets away from Jesiah and the new Sheik on the come-up, Jmook. This leads to the question: could there soon be a new king of Upstate? Jmook has been winning grand finals in Syracuse since Syracuse biweekly 22. Dropping the only grands in Syracuse biweekly 24 to the one and only JesiahTEG, but with notable wins against Mask and Chess he is the next best contender for king of upstate. Sure he hasn’t been around very long but with his most recent wins back to back at Syracuse biweekly 27 and sucker punch beating JesiahTEG in Grand Finals at both events it's hard to deny when he’s got the results. So I am extremely excited to see what is in store for Upstate Melee now that we have someone who is actually in contention for no.1 in the region and is consistently putting up results that back up the argument. Will the current king adjust ? Jesiah has put on the pressure with his Fox in the past and his Marth should always be feared. With Marth, Sheik, and Fox smack dab in the middle of the current metagame, it will be interesting to see how the story unfolds.
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The Illusion of Creativity
AI-generated music is often marketed as “artistic” or “educational.” But what does it really teach?
- That style can be replicated without understanding.
- That emotion can be simulated without feeling.
- That effort can be bypassed with a prompt.
For young creators, this sets a dangerous precedent. Why learn to play guitar when an algorithm can do it faster? Why study harmony when AI can generate chord progressions in seconds? The risk isn’t just laziness — it’s the loss of depth, discipline, and the tactile joy of creation.
I have listened to several AI-generated music covers. My initial reaction was one of considerable impressiveness, particularly regarding the reimagining of classic pop hits in diverse genres with novel arrangements. Here is one good example a-ha — Take On Me
However, after engaging with several such Ai generated song covers, a sense of emotional detachment emerged, attributable to the perceived absence of human artistry and genuine sentiment, resulting in a technically flawless yet ultimately soulless auditory experience.
Copyright in Crisis
What does the copyright law say about AI generated music, especially in field of music covers. Who is liable for copyright in this case, AI developers, people who used AI to generate music or people who published it on music platforms?
Recent lawsuits show that the music industry is pushing back hard:
- Universal, Sony, and Warner sued AI music platforms Suno and Udio in 2024 for allegedly training their models on copyrighted songs without permission Ars Technica The Lyon Firm.
- They’re seeking up to $150,000 per infringed song, arguing that the AI outputs resemble famous tracks and voices (e.g., Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson).
- These lawsuits target the developers of the AI tools — but they raise broader questions:The legal gray area is training data. Courts haven’t yet ruled definitively on whether using copyrighted songs to train AI counts as infringement or fair use Sites at USC.
But who’s liable?
Role | Legal Risk | Why |
AI Developers | ✅ High | For training on copyrighted material without licenses. |
Users | ⚠️ Moderate | If they intentionally recreate protected works. |
Publishers/Platforms | ✅ High | For distributing infringing content. |
The grey area lies in training data. Courts haven’t yet ruled definitively on whether using copyrighted songs to train AI counts as infringement or fair use. Meanwhile, AI-generated works themselves aren’t eligible for copyright unless a human provides substantial creative input — leaving them in legal limbo.
The Educational Mirage
Some argue that AI music helps people learn genres, production styles, or vocal techniques. But this “education” often lacks context. It’s like learning to paint by watching a printer — technically impressive, but creatively hollow.
True musical education involves:
- Struggle and iteration: Learning through mistakes.
- Emotional connection: Expressing what words can’t.
- Cultural lineage: Understanding the roots of sound.
AI shortcuts bypass all of this. And in doing so, they risk flattening the rich terrain of human creativity into a sterile landscape of algorithmic mimicry.
Why This Fight Matters
This isn’t just about music. It’s about the future of art, storytelling, and human expression. If we allow machines to dominate creative spaces, we risk turning culture into content — optimized, monetized, and devoid of soul.
We must ask: Do we want a world where art is made by machines, or one where machines help humans make better art?
5 Key Takeaways
- AI-generated music blurs the line between innovation and erosion in the creative arts
- AI-generated music raises questions about copyright, culture, education, and artistic expression
- AI-generated music can replicate style without understanding, simulate emotion without feeling, and bypass effort with a prompt
- AI-generated music sets a dangerous precedent for young creators by potentially leading to a loss of depth, discipline, and joy of creation
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