Emily Yahr, The Washington Post; What country stars really think about that AI-generated country ‘hit’
"“Walk My Walk,” a track from an act called Breaking Rust, landed at No. 1 on the magazine’s country digital song sales list. It didn’t take long for journalists to realize that Breaking Rust didn’t appear to be human; Billboard referred to it as a “AI-powered country act,” and one of several “AI artists” on its charts.
“Can listeners tell the difference?” CNN wondered, taking the question to people on the street. “Does it matter?”
It’s an issue that has been roiling the music industry lately, even after years of media consolidation and format changes that had already made it harder for real singers and songwriters to earn a living.
The alarm bells grew louder in 2025 as artificial intelligence became more pervasive, but the Breaking Rust episode was a particular focal point for Nashville anxieties; Tennessee was the first state to sign into law the Elvis Act, which protects singers from their voices being copied by AI."
