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Inentertainment, avirtual band (also called avirtual idol,virtual singer,virtual group,virtual artists,cartoon group,cartoon idol,cartoon singer orcartoon band) is a band or music group whose depicted members are not people, butanimated characters or virtualavatars. The music is recorded (and, in the case of concerts, performed) by real musicians and producers, while any media related to the virtual band, includingalbums, video clips and the visual component of stage performances, feature the animated line-up; in many cases the virtual band members have been credited as the writers and performers of the songs. Live performances can become rather complex, requiring perfect synchronization between the visual and audio components of the show.
The termvirtual band was popularized withGorillaz in2000. However, the concept of the virtual band was first demonstrated byAlvin and the Chipmunks in 1958, when their creator,Ross Bagdasarian, accelerated recordings of his own voice to achieve the "chipmunk voice". There have since been numerous virtual bands that have recorded material.Computer animation,traditional animation, and vocal mixing and manipulation are common features.
The termvirtual idol originates from Japan, where it dates back to the 1980s and has roots inanime andJapanese idol culture. Popular virtual idols include theVocaloid singerHatsune Miku as well asvirtual YouTubers,Kizuna AI andHoshimachi Suisei.
The term is sometimes confused formusic groups who collaborate using the Internet, who do not require members to be in the same physical place for their work.
In the late 2010s,Kizuna AI was introduced as a character presented as a fully artificial intelligence and promoted as the world’s firstVirtual YouTuber (VTuber). In reality, her YouTube channel is operated by a professional production team.[1][2]
Another prominent virtual idol isHatsune Miku, a sixteen-year-old character created by Crypton Future Media (CFM) using voice samples from voice actressSaki Fujita and theVocaloid software engine. Her voice synthesis and popularity rely on a mix of professional production and large-scale user-generated content.[3][4][5]
The members of virtual groups are depicted as animated characters, with their own personality, voice, history, and playing style. For example, Alvin, the leader of the Chipmunks, is mischievous, and Skeleton Staff's Guitarist Stanton is a party-going underachiever. Furthermore, Freen in Green's bassist Sparky is sluggish,Murdoc ofGorillaz is a middle-agedsatanic bass player and Renard Queenston, also known simply as Renard, a fox psychopath dressed as a nurse.Another example isHatsune Miku who does not have a definite personality; her personality changes in each song based on interactions from the users ofVocaloid.[6]
The style of animation used for depicting the characters varies. Some groups and idols, likeThe Archies,Gorillaz,Dethklok,The Banana Splits,Prozzäk,One-T,Dvar, Renard Queenston,Quasimoto,MC Skat Kat,VBirds,One eskimO andAlvin and the Chipmunks are hand-drawn characters, and much of their media usestraditional animation and cartooning techniques. Others, such asHatsune Miku,Kizuna Ai,Crazy Frog,Genki Rockets,Gummibär,Pinocchio, The Bots,Studio Killers,Beatcats,Pentakill,K/DA,Your Favorite Martian,Hololive,Eternity,Mave:,Plave andNaevis arecomputer-generated.
Some people considerpuppetry as a form of animation;[1] this consideration means groups likeDr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem or31 Minutes can be considered virtual bands.
The recording of the music is done by the human musicians and artists, whom the virtual artists are depicted to emulate. In some cases, the singing is done by machines or synthesizer applications, like theHatsune Mikuvocaloid. This is done using the normal in-studio recording process;[citation needed] seeSound recording for a detailed explanation.
In some instances, most notablyThe Chipmunks, manipulation of voices may be employed, either to achieve a desired vocal effect, or to make it dissimilar to the voice of the actual singer. The manipulation is done by either modifying the playback speed of the vocal track or by putting it through asynthesizer (Vocoding).
Writing and production credits may be assigned to either the virtual band characters, or the human writers and artists involved.
Virtual bands often perform throughvirtual concerts, where their likenesses are represented digitally on stage. One of two methods can be employed for live performances. The first involves animating the entire set, with little or no allowance for audience interaction, then "performing" it as is. The major pitfall with this method is the lack of audience interaction, which can be vital during concerts. This is best suited to short performances, where audience response can be predicted.
The second, and more complex, method differs from the first in that allowance is made for a variety of responses and interaction. This means having a wide range of animated sequences ready to play, with matching spoken lines, in response to different reactions.
In both cases, extensive rehearsal is required to synchronize spoken lines and instrumentation with animated action. This can be eliminated by using pre-recorded music and speech; however, doing so also weakens the actual "live" experience.
(Some non-virtual artists and groups have employed a similar technique on some concert tours and performances.DJ Shadow, for example, on hisIn Tune and On Time tour, had pre-animated sequences, which were played on giant screens behind him while he performed the set. Again, a large amount of pre-tour planning and synchronization rehearsal was required beforehand.[7])
While the term had not been coined at the time,Alvin and the Chipmunks were the first virtual band to receive widespread fame. Centered on Alvin, his two brothers Simon and Theodore, and their manager/father Dave Seville, their voices were created byRoss Bagdasarian, Sr., who accelerated the recording of his voice to create the distinctive sound; the process earned him twoGrammys in 1959 for engineering.
The success of the Chipmunks spurred on another group, theNutty Squirrels, to join the ranks. A scat-singing version of Bagdasarian's creation, they made the American Top 40 with their song "Uh-Oh". Their success, however, was short-lived.
In 1968, The Banana Splits premiered on NBC but failed to chart the top 40. A year later in 1969, from rival CBS,The Archies were the first virtual band to appear in worldwide pop charts.[citation needed]
During this time, other television programs, such asJosie and the Pussycats andThe Muppet Show, began to include bands as part of the format (in the case ofJosie and the Pussycats, the eponymous band was the show's focus). Some of the groups that appeared on these shows released mainstream recordings. Some bands, however, would "break up" after the end of the show's run.
AfterThe Archies, produced byFilmation, became a huge pop hit,Hanna-Barbera started releasing several cartoon TV shows with the adventures of rock bands, such asJosie and the Pussycats,TheCattanooga Cats,The Impossibles,Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids,Jabberjaw, and others.
During the 1980s,Hasbro releasedJem, an animated TV series featuring two enemy bands with a music video in each episode.
Virtual bands still appear in television: the Chipmunks appeared in their own television show for much of the 1990s, and theAdult Swim showMetalocalypse features the virtual melodic death metal bandDethklok.
Virtual idols originate from Japan, with roots inanime andJapanese idol culture, and dating back to the 1980s, starting with theMacrossmecha anime franchise (adapted into theRobotech franchise in North America).[8] The first virtual idol wasLynn Minmay, a fictional singer who is one of the main characters in the anime television seriesSuper Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) and theanimated film adaptationMacross: Do You Remember Love? (1984).Voiced byMari Iijima, Lynn Minmay became the first fictional idol singer to garner major real-world success. Thetheme song "Do You Remember Love?" (from the filmMacross: Do You Remember Love?) reached number seven on theOricon music charts in Japan, and the song has since been covered numerous times over the next several decades.[8]
TheJapanese cyberpunk animeMegazone 23 (1985) took the virtual idol concept further with EVE, who is depicted as acomputer-basedartificial intelligence (AI) who takes the form of a virtual idol within a proto-Matrix-likevirtual reality.Megazone 23 was a success in Japan partly due to the appeal of EVE, and it was later adapted intoRobotech: The Movie (1986) in North America.[9][10] A similar concept later appeared inMacross Plus (1994) with the virtual idolSharon Apple, acomputer program who takes the form of an intergalacticpop star.[11] The same year, the fictionalJapanese rock bandFire Bomber fromMacross 7 (1994) became a commercial success, spawning multipleCDs released in Japan.[12]
TheJapanese talent agencyHoripro created the first real-life AI virtual idol,Kyoko Date, in 1995. Her creation was inspired by the success of theMacross franchise anddating sim games such asTokimeki Memorial (1994), along with advances incomputer graphics. Her initial announcement drew headlines, both in Japan and internationally, before she debuted as aCGI idol in 1996. However, she failed to gain commercial success, largely due to technical limitations leading to issues such as unnatural movement (an issue known as theuncanny valley).[11][13][14] Despite her failure, she provided the template for later virtual idols who gained commercial success in the early 21st century, such as theVocaloid singer Hatsune Miku and thevirtual YouTuberKizuna AI.[11][13]
In 2007,Crypton Future Media andYamaha launchedVocaloid 2, with the voice bank ofHatsune Miku. In 2009, Hatsune Miku had her first concert. Other Vocaloids made byCrypton Future Media includeMeiko,Kaito,Kagamine Rin and Len, andMegurine Luka.
Virtual bands can also originate fromvideo games, as proven by the 2015Wii U gameSplatoon, which features songs credited to various virtual bands, the most notable being a pop duo called theSquid Sisters, who have performed several real world concerts as holograms.[15][16][17] The game's 2017Nintendo Switch sequel,Splatoon 2, introduces more virtual bands, most notablyOff the Hook, a duo similar to the Squid Sisters. The two duos have performed together as holograms, and has had a special guest, K.K. Slider from the Animal Crossing series, to celebrate the release of Animal Crossing New Horizons.[18][19] Prior to it, Nintendo had already made a virtual band composed of characters fromPikmin calledStrawberry Flower, to promote the games. Their first single,Ai no Uta, was a massive success in Japan, reaching #2 on the Weekly Oricon Top 200 Singles chart. In 2020, Sega and Sanrio teamed up to make their first collaboration virtual band,Beatcats.
Gorillaz are an English virtual band created in 1998 by musicianDamon Albarn and artistJamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members:2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums). Their universe is presented in media such as music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons.[20] Gorillaz's music has featured collaborations with a wide range of featured artists, with Albarn as the only permanent musical contributor.[21]
Prozzäk are a Canadian virtual pop music duo formed by Jay Levine and James Bryan McCollum in 1998. Their recordings and animated music videos tell the comedic tale of their frontmen, Simon (Levine) and Milo (McCollum), who are best friends on a search to find true love.
One-T are a French virtual band created in 2000 byEddy Gronfier and Thomas Pieds.Eddy Gronfier produces the music while Thomas Pieds creates the artwork and visuals. They were successful across Europe, especially France and Germany, with their 2003 hit single"The Magic Key", but since then were not able to repeat that success and remained aone-hit wonder.[22][23]
Dethklok is a fictionalmelodic death metal band featured in theAdult Swim animated television seriesMetalocalypse, known for its satirical or parodic lyrical themes.
The first official Dethklok album was released on September 25, 2007, entitledThe Dethalbum. The album debuted at number 21 onBillboard magazine'sTop 200 list.[24]
Gummibär or Gummy Bear is a GermanEurodance multilingual character and virtual musician that performs gummy bear-related songs on various albums, includingI Am Your Gummy Bear (2007) andLa La Love to Dance (2010). The video for the song "I'm a Gummy Bear" and its Spanish version has 3.2 billion and 1.2 billion views on YouTube respectively. Gummibär's popularity as a phenomenon is very similar to that of fellow European music phenomenonCrazy Frog, characterised by repetition of lyrics and singing of catchy melodies. Variants of the character's music have been released in various languages internationally.[25]
K/DA is a virtualK-popgirl group consisting of four themed versions ofLeague of Legends characters Ahri, Akali, Evelynn and Kai'Sa.[26](G)I-dle membersMiyeon andSoyeon provide the voices of Ahri and Akali, respectively,Madison Beer voices Evelynn, andJaira Burns provided the voice for Kai'Sa. However, the characters have also been voiced by other artists.
K/DA was developed byRiot Games, the company behindLeague of Legends, and was unveiled at the2018 League of Legends World Championship with anaugmented reality live performance of their debut single, "Pop/Stars". A music video of the song uploaded toYouTube subsequently went viral, surpassing 100 million views in one month, reaching 550 million views as of May 2023, and toppingBillboard's World Digital Song Sales chart.
In 2019, Riot created a virtual hip hop group calledTrue Damage, featuring the champions Ekko, Akali, Qiyana, Senna, and Yasuo. The vocalists performed a live version of their debut song, "Giants", during the opening ceremony of the 2019 League of Legends World Championship, alongside holographic versions of their characters.[27][28]
Dvar is an anonymous virtual band fromRussia that playsdarkwave andelectronic music.[29]
Huntrix and Saja Boys, the fictional K-pop bands from the 2025 filmKPop Demon Hunters, have been referred to as "virtual groups".[30]
Atomic Youth are an English virtual band formed in 2016. The project blendsprogressive metal,folk rock, andchiptune, and is presented through illustrations and 3D renders of four fictional members.[31]
In 2000, Malaysian pop bandKRU created a short-lived virtual band called Tyco (meaning “big brother” in Cantonese) with members Norman, Yusry, and Edry as avatars Tylo, Yiko, and Psylo respectively. Tyco was also awarded “Malaysia’s First Virtual Artiste” by the Malaysian Book of Records.[32]
SeeU (Korean: 시유; RR: Siyu) is a female Korean vocal created for theVocaloid 3 software bySBS A&T (formerly SBS Artech) and was the only Korean vocal released for that version of the software. As well as a Korean vocal, she possessed a Japanese vocal. The voice behind her is Dahee Kim from the bandGLAM.
Eternity is a virtual idol group formed by Pulse9. The group debuted on March 22, 2021, with the single "I'm Real". The group consists of 11 members: Seoa, Sujin, Minji, Zae-in, Hyejin, Dain, Chorong, Jiwoo, Yeoreum, Sarang and Yejin.[33] They are created withartificial intelligence technology, Deep Real.[34]
Mave: is a virtualgirl group formed in 2023 by Metaverse Entertainment. The group consists of Siu, Zena, Marty, and Tyra, who are hyper-realistic,AI-generated members that were created usingmachine learning,deep fake, and full3D production technology.[35][36]
naevis is a virtual idol developed bySM Entertainment. First appearing in 2020 as part of K-pop girl groupAespa's fictional universe, Naevis was launched as a soloist in 2024 with the single "Done".[37]
Recent empirical research shows that virtual idols have become a meaningful part of marketing and entertainment industries. A 2023 study described the boundaries, benefits, and risks of virtual-idol marketing and proposed an integrated working framework targeted at Generation Z consumers.[38] Another study found that virtual-idol characteristics such as popularity, homogeneity, relevance and anthropomorphism positively influenced consumers’ willingness to purchase branded products.[39]
Fans of virtual idols engage in creative behaviour beyond passive viewership: a 2023 empirical study using the MOA (Motivation-Opportunity-Ability) theory found that interest motivation and achievement motivation significantly predicted fans’ creative participation in content for virtual idols.[40] Scholars caution however that strong para-social attachments and unresolved identity “seams” between virtual and real performers may introduce risks for creators and audiences alike.
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)Eternity's virtual idol were created with Deep Real AI, a deep-fake virtual imaging technology developed by South Korean tech company Pulse9.