AI Tops Billboard Charts Again

Atticus Gregory Upton Lewis/Music In Review

Last week, another AI song topped yet another Billboard chart. This time, it was the Christian Music and Gospel chart that had to suffer. AI “artist” Solomon Ray released his new album “Faithful Soul,” which is ironic because robots don’t have souls. Regardless, the album hit number one on the iTunes Top 100 Christian and Gospel Albums chart and two songs from the album are both number one and number two on the Billboard Gospel Chart. Just like before, everything about this “artist” is AI generated. Its name, music, chorus, vocals, and lyrics are all AI generated. What makes this extra special is that on Instagram, Solomon Ray has been posting AI generated videos of him in the studio recording music and performing. 

Now, just like before with the Country Music charts, the odds are that the songs and the album overall aren’t being listened to by real people. It’s more likely that bots have artificially inflated the numbers around it to create hype and manufacture more consent for AI music. 

However, unlike the country music chart scandal, where the music being generated was a hideous but accurate reflection of what the genre had become, this AI gospel nonsense feels more akin to gross caricature of what gospel is. Instead of just coming across as a cheap imitation, it feels more like a mockery of the genre. Everything about it feels insincere and weak. It’s overly dramatic but it doesn’t have the soul that would actually warrant that. 

I can’t help but think back to my “Aqualung” review where the latter half of that album is all about how people misuse god to further their agendas and create false image of him. The money made from this song isn’t going to local communities and churches. It isn’t helping those in need. It’s only going to enrich the record labels.

It’s generic slop that doesn’t possess anything clever or unique. It is god awful and insulting to a genre that has brought so much comfort to so many people. It has brought us some of the best performances and vocalists ever, and has guided so many people to religion. I am not religious at all, but even I can acknowledge that this is incredibly disrespectful and Billboard needs to be held accountable for doing this, not just to gospel but for all genres. AI songs shouldn’t be allowed to chart at all.