San Jose Sharks shelve ‘Power Bite’ after AI suspicions sour fans

The San Jose Sharks will replace “Power Bite,” their custom goal song of the past season, when they open the 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. The new selection remains under wraps and will be heard at SAP Center if the Sharks score. The decision follows roughly a year of fan criticism and suspicion that “Power Bite” had been made using generative AI. The song has not been proven to be AI-generated, and its producer, Chris Barnhart of Massachusetts, who performs as BVRNOUT, told the team it was not created with AI. The Sharks concluded that the issue was affecting the in-arena experience, according to SFGATE. Doug Bentz, the club’s chief marketing officer, said the song was failing to resonate and that the AI allegations made the reaction difficult to overcome amid negative public sentiment toward the technology. The club did not want the dispute to become “a drag on the brand or their experience,” he said. Fans’ doubts intensified after they found a Suno account appearing to be associated with BVRNOUT. It had hosted an AI remix, “Sharky Party,” with the same lyrics and a very similar beat to “Power Bite.” The account remains online, but its uploaded tracks have been removed. Barnhart has not publicly addressed the accusations, despite unsuccessful attempts by SFGATE to contact him. “Power Bite” debuted on Oct. 9, 2025, during a sold-out game against the Vegas Golden Knights. It was chosen by elevated season-ticket holders from four tracks made by BVRNOUT, replacing 2 Unlimited’s “Get Ready For This,” which the Sharks had used for most of the preceding nine years. The club had commissioned a bespoke song in part to avoid licensing complications when sports highlights were shared on social media, and it planned to use the track in digital programming and remixes. The move to a recognizable replacement will make licensing more complicated and is expected to raise costs substantially. The Sharks began soliciting alternatives midway through last season, drawing suggestions from Reddit and X. They reduced the submissions to 15 recognizable songs with Bay Area connections, then had players and an internal focus group of more than 20 people narrow the list before making a choice. Will Smith, who has heard the selection, said he was excited by it. The change was announced in a video in which defenseman Sam Dickinson switched off a stereo playing “Power Bite” and said: “New goal song coming October 1.” Fans had identified a new goal song as the biggest change they wanted to the arena experience, and reaction to the announcement was overwhelmingly positive. The Sharks’ season-opening homestand continues against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. The club’s 2026-27 regular-season schedule comprises 84 games.