# Voice Synthesizer Overload 10 Auto-Tune Abusers By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2008-10-22 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/voice-synthesizer-auto-tune References: [newyorker](http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2008/06/09/080609crmu_music_frerejones?currentPage=all) & [antarestech](http://www.antarestech.com/) Antares Audio Technologies has created a monster with its ubiquitous Auto-Tune technology. This audio plugin is a [pitch correction tool](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/audio-ai-dynamics) that has been used and abused by modern music acts in every genre. Some artists use Auto-Tune's powers in concert to ensure a good live performance, like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Others, like T-Pain and Craig David, have used Auto-Tune to fuel their careers. In 1998, Cher's "Believe" brought popular attention to Auto-Tune technology, but the plugin was kept a secret. The single opened the door for other pop singers like JoJo and Madonna to utilize Auto-Tune to manipulate portions of their songs for dramatic effect. And then hip hop happened. T-Pain emerged onto the scene as a singer that exclusively used Auto-Tune to [modify his vocals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/audiogeniusai). During one week in 2007, four singles--one of them at the #1 slot--in the [Billboard](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Audio-journalism-platforms) Top 100 chart featured T-Pain's vocals. Snoop Dogg tried his hand at singing for "Sensual Seduction" in 2007, using Auto-Tune as a crutch. And most recently, Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" employs Auto-Tune throughout in T-Pain-like fashion. I'm over Auto-Tune. How about you? ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 66% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Auto-tune Abusers:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop alternative vocal effects technologies that offer creative and unique ways to modify vocals without relying on Auto-Tune. - **Live Performance Enhancement:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create tools or plugins that can enhance live performances of artists without relying on pitch correction technologies like Auto-Tune. - **Real-time Vocal Manipulation:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore real-time vocal manipulation technologies that can offer artists complete control over modifying their vocals during performances. ### Who This Affects Most - **Music Production:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce new software or hardware solutions that revolutionize the way music producers work with vocal effects and pitch correction. - **Live Sound Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop advanced audio equipment and systems that provide superior vocal performance enhancement capabilities for live sound engineers and artists. - **Entertainment Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create new technologies that enhance the overall entertainment experience by offering innovative ways to modify and manipulate vocals in music and other forms of entertainment. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Vocal Processing Plug-Ins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/carnivore-audio.md) - [AI Vocal Synths](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ace-studio.md) - [Singing AI Voice Changers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maibhisinger.md) - [AI Singing Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-singing.md) - [Real-Time AI Voice Changers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supertone-shift.md) - [AI-Powered Vocal Removal Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vocalreplica.md) - [AI Music Creation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sonauto.md) - [AI Music Editor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/music-editor.md) - [AI Karaoke Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-karaoke.md)