Artificial intelligence conquers the charts: When there's no real artist behind the microphone anymore. All the info here!
What sounds like science fiction has become reality. For the first time, a musician generated entirely by AI is at the top of the Billboard charts. The virtual country act Breaking Rust is causing a worldwide stir with its song Walk My Walk. For some, it's a technical masterpiece; for others, it's the end of real music.
So Real That You Hardly Notice It
Breaking Rust is not a real person, but an artificial system that generates its own voice, lyrics, and sound design. The digital cowboy look and smoky voice seem deceptively real. Breaking Rust now has over 2.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify, even though the account was only recently launched. Over 37,000 people already follow the project on Instagram.
The song Walk My Walk reached the top of the "Digital Song Sales Country Chart", which specifically measures digital sales. This ranking should be taken with a grain of salt, because how many people still pay for individual songs instead of simply streaming them?
Nevertheless, the song has already racked up over 3 million streams on Spotify alone, demonstrating how much attention AI-generated music can attract.
The Controversy Surrounding Artificial Intelligence
This success has sparked a debate. Is it fair to human artists when computers produce songs and generate millions in streams and revenue without anyone really behind them? Opinions are divided, with some calling for clear rules for AI music and mechanisms to protect the creative contributions of real musicians. Others see it as an opportunity for new sounds and creative experimentation.
Is This The Future?
Breaking Rust shows how far artificial intelligence has already come in music. Technically impressive, but culturally controversial. Whether these songs can convey genuine emotions and endure in the long term remains to be seen.
For you as a reader, the question remains: revolution or risk? Write your opinion in the comments.