The Beatles' "Now and Then" has made history as the first AI-assisted song to receive Grammy nominations, securing spots in both Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance categories.

The track emerged from a 1978 John Lennon demo, transformed through AI technology that cleaned up poor sound quality. Paul McCartney spearheaded the project, utilizing the same AI-based audio editing software used in Peter Jackson's "The Beatles: Get Back" documentary and the recent Revolver stereo mix.

The technology functioned similarly to noise-cancellation in modern communication platforms, isolating Lennon's vocals from the original demo tape. The final production combines these restored recordings of Lennon and George Harrison with new contributions from McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Despite the historic nominations, "Now and Then" faces stiff competition from contemporary artists like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Billie Eilish. With 78 million Spotify streams, it currently has the lowest streaming numbers among Record of the Year nominees. However, the nominations themselves demonstrate the Beatles' enduring influence, achieving Grammy recognition 50 years after their breakup.

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