Auto-tune is a digital instrument that has been used (and sometimes abused) by many artists over the past few decades. What it does is correct singing vocals and put it into a perfect pitch. There are levels to auto-tune and other pitch correction softwares however; you can use it slightly or use it to extremes. Hip-hop is a genre that has explored the levels of pitch correction intensely. It was first publicly introduced and popularized by T-Pain, an R&B artist that frequently collabs with hip-hop artists. It didn't take long till artists like Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg hopped on the wave. Dey Know (Remix) and Sexual Eruption are some of the most early recognitions of auto-tune in hip-hop.
But... the use of pitch correction by hip-hop artists has evolved so much since that time. Artists such as Kanye, Future, and Young Thug have developed a whole sound based on it. Let's not forget however the brief period of rap where auto-tune was being shunned. Specifically by Jay-Z...
Well Hov's attempt at killing autotune failed, and autotune is still alive and well. In fact, tons of artists use it to enhance melodies and get that perfect sound. The real question is, how long will this trend last; is autotune here to stay? Hip-hop has had a love hate relationship with autotune, from shunning artists that use it, to praising them. The fact of the matter is that autotune sells. Artists have been able to use pitch correction to create major industry bangers and flourish off of it. Migos, Travis Scott, Nav, Future, and Lil Uzi Vert are all artists that are making a lot of noise, literally and figuratively, in the industry. Do you think autotune is here to stay? Let us know in the comment section. In the meantime, check out some of the major auto-tuned hits that you may hear if you turn on your radio today.
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