"Believe" popularizes creative Auto-Tune effect in mainstream pop

Recognized alongside its Grammy win on February 24, 1999, Cher's single "Believe" is historically credited with popularizing what became known as the "Cher effect"—the deliberate, audible use of Auto-Tune pitch-correction software as a creative vocal effect rather than a corrective tool. Producers Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling applied the technology to create a distinctive robotic warble on Cher's vocals during the song's chorus.

This innovative production choice was groundbreaking at the time; Auto-Tune had been developed primarily as a subtle pitch-correction tool, and its overt, stylized use in "Believe" was a radical departure from convention. The technique's success sparked a wave of imitation throughout the pop and hip-hop industries in the following decades, fundamentally altering vocal production aesthetics in mainstream music.

The impact of this innovation cannot be overstated: the "Cher effect" became a defining sonic signature of late 1990s and 2000s pop music, influencing artists ranging from T-Pain to Kanye West to countless contemporary pop and hip-hop producers. While not a formally patented or registered "first," the association between Cher's "Believe" and the mainstream popularization of creative Auto-Tune use is widely acknowledged across music journalism and production history as a pivotal moment in modern music technology.