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AI Persona Breaking Rust Tops Billboard Country Digital Sales, Raising Questions Over Chart Credibility

The download-only win exposes how low purchase thresholds can distort chart perceptions.

Overview

  • The AI-generated track Walk My Walk, credited to creator Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales for the week of Nov. 8.
  • Industry reporting indicates roughly 3,000 paid downloads secured the top spot, highlighting how the chart differs from broader measures like airplay and streaming.
  • Breaking Rust has logged over 2.3 million monthly Spotify listeners, more than 3.5 million streams for Walk My Walk, and recent traction on Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50.
  • A Deezer study estimates about 50,000 AI-made songs are uploaded daily, and distribution services such as DistroKid help these tracks reach major platforms and earn royalties.
  • Backlash from fans and artists has intensified, with calls for clearer labeling and guardrails, including congressional testimony from country singer Martina McBride urging AI regulations.