Makeathon recap: Modusvision song contest

Can AI really help you make a song that sounds like it belongs on a playlist?

Modus cranked up the creativity with a makeathon centered on one of the most entertaining corners of emerging tech: AI-generated music. In the spirit of the widely popular Eurovision Song Contest, we created our own Modusvision Song Contest, where teams went from “we should start a band” to “we just dropped a track” in a single afternoon.

This makeathon wasn’t only about creating music. It was about creating a whole vibe. The checklist for stardom included:

• The Hit: An original track generated through clever prompting.
• The Brand: A band name that screams “world tour”.
• The Look: Custom cover art designed to move records (or at least clicks).
• The Debut: A live listening party where the “Modus charts” were born.
  

The masterclass: Prompting the perfect track

Before anyone hit play, teams got a crash course in song structure: Intro, verse, chorus, and bridge. Suno, an AI music generator, became the primary “instrument”, with Custom Mode giving teams granular control by separating lyrics from musical style. The tool's built-in Lyric Generator helped break through writer’s block, while Style Personas locked in a consistent “lead singer” voice across multiple versions. The real secret sauce? Metatags. Teams evolved into prompt-engineers-turned-producers, using cues like [applause], [distorted guitar solo], and [Outro] to guide the AI and turn raw prompts into crowd-ready performances.

And because every great band needs a look, teams paired their tracks with a generative art app like Dall-E for cover art to round out their band identities.

The chart-toppers and the crowd favorites

After a series of high-energy listening parties and plenty of cheering, here are the standout bands and tracks that dominated the ModusVision stage.

Third Place: Half Day Heroes - Summer Friday Rap

Summer Friday Rap is the ultimate high-energy anthem for anyone ready to trade their fluorescent office lights for some sunshine! The song kicks off with a bright, rhythmic guitar loop that feels like a coastal drive. It’s paired with a crisp, punchy boom-tap beat that provides a steady, head-nodding groove from start to finish. Moving at a mid-to-fast tempo, the music captures that Friday-morning urgency– simple, catchy, and powered by a light, airy guitar riff that fits the “Summer Flex” theme.

Lyrically, it centers on hustle and payoff: getting tasks done efficiently, keeping things professional with clients satisfied and approvals handled, and then celebrating the reward of half-day freedom and the classic Summer Friday vibe. The rhythm is tight and consistent, making it impossible not to tap your foot while you finish those last-minute emails.

Second Place: The Skip Thompson 3 - Coffee Shop Blues

Coffee Shop Blues is a fun, lighthearted acoustic pop-jazz tune that captures the relatable frustration of a caffeine-deprived morning. It runs on an upbeat, bouncy rhythm led by bright acoustic guitar and a steady, toe-tapping drumbeat, with a catchy, swingy melody that lends it a musical-theater flair, keeping the energy high even as it leans into that first-cup frustration.

Driven by a soulful vocal delivery and a snappy melody, the song documents the struggle of waiting 20 minutes for a mocha grande fix in an era of slow service, eccentric playlists in the background, and weak Wi-Fi. It’s a relatable, high-tempo reminder that while the daily grind can be a drag, the right soundtrack can turn a morning hurdle into a catchy, cinematic experience.

First Place: Manila Reckless Spenders - Add to Cart

If you’ve ever sworn you weren’t going to buy anything, then found yourself “just browsing” and ended up with a confirmation email — this track gets you. The song is built on a fast-paced, steady four-on-the-floor beat that mimics the rapid-fire clicking of a mouse. The rhythm is crisp, blending a driving beat with relatable lyrics to create a sound that’s as addictive as scrolling through a sale.

The vocals are bubbly and upbeat, riding an ultra-catchy pop melody until the chorus lands with a big, soaring hook, the exact rush of hitting checkout. It sums it all up with the recurring truth: “bank account’s crying, but I’m waving it goodbye”.

The future of creativity is collaborative

ModusVision was more than just a fun day at work; it was a testament to how AI can lower the barrier to complex creative work. By pairing human strategy with tools like Suno and Dall-E, our teams proved the future of work is collaborative: technology amplifies bold ideas first. We left with more than catchy tunes; we saw how AI-driven processes can turn a steep learning curve into a playground for innovation.