RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesA lot of artists have spoken out against artificial intelligence and its growing use in the music creation process, but country duo Big & Rich have lodged their protest in the form of a new song “Hello AI.”
“It’s called artificial intelligence for a reason. It ain’t real!” Big & Rich’s Big Kenny tells Billboard . “I love that John and I are putting out such an important, timely song. This AI thing is outta control.”
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John Rich feels similarly concerned, calling AI an “apocalyptic” threat. “AI is not human and, therefore, cannot own a copyright,” he adds. “The American songwriter is now faced with an apocalyptic event, where machines rip and plagiarize our original music into endless derivatives that eventually can never be traced back to the original author. Monetizing AI music is tantamount to spending a counterfeit $100 bill. This is man vs. machine; pencil vs program.”
The video, which premieres below, pointedly features the duo writing out the song lyrics using a pencil and paper and then performing it in front of the “Edison to iPod: The Evolution of Recorded Sound” exhibit at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame. The first words heard in the song come from an automated voice saying over static, “Hello. Rhythm plus frequency plus wordmaker. Record. Here is your song.” But then Big & Rich regain control and, in their opening words, remind us, “Flesh and blood and bone and a pencil wrote this song. Human hearts and souls will all gather and sing along.”
As the midtempo, ominous-sounding song unspools, images of the “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” duo are interspersed with vintage stock footage of men and various machines, as the pair asks, “Tell me where your soul goes when they cut the power line.” Things turn really dark as they question how long it is before AI tries “to take the place of God himself.” The stomping song lists a number of things AI can’t do, including breathe, hold a baby or play a song it created live.
“I get it — everybody can be a songwriter with AI and it sure feels good to push a button and hear your new tune in less than a minute,” Big Kenny says. “The only problem is that all these new AI-generated songs derive from stolen works, and no one asked those original creators for permission.”
In a recent Billboard story , French streaming service Deezer estimated that fully AI-generated content represented up to 44% of its daily uploads, adding up to more than 2 million songs a month.
In addition to their own hits, Big Kenny and Rich have individually or together co-written a number of top country songs for other artists, including Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” and “Here for the Party,” as well as Faith Hill’s “Mississippi Girl” and Jason Aldean ’s “Hicktown.”
The duo has teased “Hello AI” on its social media , including posting on Aug. 17 a warning against AI and companies who try to convince songwriters to “allow AI to run roughshod over our catalogs.”
Up next for Big & Rich are a number of live shows, including Canfield, Ohio, on Sept. 6 and Mooresville, North Carolina, on Sept. 19.
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