The Rolling Stones sparked debate over the use of artificial intelligence in music with the release of their “In the Stars” video, which employs deepfake technology to transform the band into younger versions of themselves reminiscent of the late 1970s.
The four-minute clip shows Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood in a warehouse studio session that turns into a dance party. Directed by longtime collaborator François Rousselet, the video drew immediate backlash, with critics and fans accusing the band of digitally erasing the wrinkles and weathering that made them legends.
The Rolling Stones just used AI to de-age Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood back to their 70s-era look in the new "In The Stars" video. The studio behind it is Deep Voodoo, founded by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, known for pushing deepfake and digital identity work.… pic.twitter.com/FFvnmSdG8s
— Aditya ⚡Rao (@adityarao310) May 19, 2026
The AI technology was provided by Deep Voodoo, founded by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, resulting in a montage placing digitally de-aged versions of Jagger, Richards and Wood in a decades-spanning warehouse party.
Inside the mockery and the backlash
Reactions online were swift. Some fans enjoyed the video, but others called the de-aging effect “creepy” and “unnerving.”
One Reddit user wrote, “Hate the AI. While it captures their younger look impressively enough, the way they move is all wrong.”
Another user added, “It’s honestly absolutely horrible and IMO the band shamed themselves. It’s amazing you are in the video and as a musician myself I’d kill for something like that so, sorry to take away from it but… my god its an abomination they used AI. They should just retire if they don’t like how they look old.”
A music industry insider said, “The Rolling Stones built their entire image around rebellion, authenticity and refusing to conform, yet now they’re digitally airbrushing decades off themselves like insecure influencers terrified of aging. Some fans genuinely think they should just embrace being older rock legends instead of trying to artificially recreate their youth through AI.”
Critics also argued the video “almost crosses into self-parody.”
The insider added, “Audiences already know Mick, Keith and Ronnie are elderly men. They’ve earned iconic status precisely because they survived the excesses of rock ‘n’ roll and kept performing into their eighties. Some people online were basically saying, ‘Just accept you’re a bunch of walking skeletons… and own it.'” This led some online corners to rebrand the band “The Rolling Bones.”
Far Out Magazine was particularly harsh, writing that the technology “isn’t innovative, it’s not impressive and it certainly isn’t an effective means to get people to feel more engaged with the content itself.” The publication added the deepfake “ventures a little too far into the uncanny valley to be believable, much less enjoyable” and “presents all the things that are wrong with the industry right now,” not feeling natural “not in the way The Stones always appeared to be, anyway.”
Technology behind the video
The credits list body doubles for Jagger, Richards and Wood, plus several deepfake artists and an “AI data wrangler.” Deep Voodoo executive Jennifer Howell explained in March, “Our goal is to make beautiful, cinematic film and television that never pulls the viewer out because the effect doesn’t look right.”
This was not Deep Voodoo’s first high-profile deepfake music video. The company also provided the technology for Kendrick Lamar‘s acclaimed “The Heart Part 5” in 2022, which morphed his face into those of O.J. Simpson, Kanye West and Kobe Bryant, among others.
4 years ago today, Kendrick Lamar dropped ‘The Heart Part 5’ 🫀 pic.twitter.com/zV910i3j1n
— kendrick Lyrics (@WordFromKdot) May 8, 2026
The video features actress Odessa A’zion, who starred in Marty Supreme.
She said, “Are you kidding me? It’s my dream. The first record that I ever got that I listened to from start to finish was Tattoo You. I’m obsessed with the Rolling Stones.”
Her casting continues the Stones’ tradition of featuring prominent actors, including Sydney Sweeney, Paul Mescal, Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart and Angelina Jolie.
