Country music fans are die hard. In fact, a study by Spotify 10 years ago confirmed that they are the most loyal followers of any genre.
And now, some of them are a little upset.
The problem with writing about technology is that it moves quickly. By the time this column appears in print, there may be more developments the reader knows about that I currently do not. However, as someone who grew up with country music, it was hard to leave this topic alone.
The song “Walk My Walk” by Breaking Rust has recently topped Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart. The strange thing is, it wasn’t sung by a human.
Instead, “Walk My Walk” was created with artificial intelligence (AI) by Aubierre Rivaldo Taylo, who has a limited online presence and of whom nothing is known. Upon finding out the synthetic origins of the song, the reaction of both fans and other artists has been, mostly, one of concern. Although most of us probably expected this day to come, it’s worth unpacking some of its significance.
The talking point that is usually brought up first is the ethical concerns behind “Walk My Walk” and the distribution of AI-generated music. Within two months, “Walk My Walk” had 2 million monthly Spotify listeners and 2 million views on YouTube. It has been suggested that early listeners didn’t realize the song was not sung by a human, especially since Breaking Rust was a “verified” artist on Spotify. Some of those people now feel a little put out. Perhaps more unsettling, however, is that AI songs are created from a database of real music produced by actual humans. These musicians did not give consent for their work to be used in this way, and they are not being compensated. For this reason, musical artists such as Elton John and Paul McCartney have been very vocal against the use of AI in the entertainment industry.
At the intersection of technology and morality, it is easy to wax philosophical. Still, it is probably also a worthy exercise. An AI personality doesn’t have the same needs as a human singer, including compensation, and record labels could take advantage of that. Opportunities for human artists would diminish, and eventually, there would be fewer people writing and singing songs. Instead of creating new, innovative work, AI can only regurgitate what has already been made. What happens to a society that stops making new art? The AI answer on Google says we’ll experience “a decline in creativity, innovation, empathy and cultural identity, leading to a bleak and stagnant existence.”
There’s another reason, particular for farmers, why there’s more at stake in an AI country song than what comes through the radio in the parlor. AI companies require intensive data centers to maintain and expand their algorithms. These companies are buying farmland in rural areas to build centers on, offering astronomical sums to the farmers. Nondisclosure agreements make it difficult to know what landowners are being paid, but published estimates range from $40,000 to $400,000 per acre. While it is difficult to judge anyone who accepts that kind of money, it does put other local farmers in a bind, increasing property values and hiking tax bills. Also, because data centers require so much water to cool their servers, local aquifers sometimes become in danger of being depleted, leaving some farmers without the ability to water their cattle.
It should be noted that “Walk My Walk” topped the digital country charts, not the Hot Country Songs chart that measures overall play and carries more significance. However, the song’s rise to relevance is noteworthy and a sign that the entertainment industry – and culture as a whole – may be at a crossroads. Xania Monet, an AI rhythm and blues singer, also charted number one on the Hot R&B Songs and Digital Song Sales charts, as well as debuted on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart. That achievement netted her creator, Telisha Jones, a $3 million contract with Hallwood Media. As of writing this column, six AI songs or AI-assisted songs have charted on a Billboard list. Meanwhile, Tilly Norwood has been introduced as the first AI actor and is seeking representation from major agencies.
So far, most of the reaction to AI-generation in artistic pursuits has been one of repulsion, and that’s not surprising. My age group (early 40s) and upward grew up before cell phones, so it stands to reason that, for most of us, AI performers are a bridge too far. However, I suspect that what matters most will be what younger generations think. They were raised with the type of technology that we couldn’t have dreamed of as children ourselves. Are they going to be less bothered by nonhumans singing on the radio and starring on the movie screen? Or, will they, too, prefer the backstories, personal connections and occasional scandals of live human artists?
It may sound overly dramatic now, but it appears the future is up for grabs. In years to come, will human artists still get to – to borrow a borrowed phrase – walk their own walk?
