AI artists begin to reshape the Billboard charts
Over the past few months, at least six AI-driven or AI-assisted artists have appeared on Billboard’s various charts, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports, citing Billboard.
The trend is accelerating quickly, with at least one AI artist debuting every week for the past month, across genres as diverse as gospel, rock, and country.
Leading this new generation is Xania Monet - an animated artist brought to life by Mississippi songwriter Telisha “Nikki” Jones. She writes the lyrics and melodies, then turns to the AI platform Suno and a few human collaborators to produce the finished tracks.
Monet’s music has resonated with audiences, and with Billboard. Her gospel single “Let Go, Let Go” recently reached No. 3 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart, while “How Was I Supposed to Know?” peaked at No. 20 on Hot R&B Songs and topped the R&B Digital Song Sales chart in September.
Her rapid rise also caught the attention of major industry players. After a reported bidding war, Hallwood Media, led by former Interscope executive Neil Jacobson, signed Monet to a multimillion-dollar deal.
This week, she achieved another milestone, becoming the first AI artist to debut on a Billboard airplay chart, entering at No. 30 on Adult R&B Airplay for the week dated November 11.
The Sound of Machine
Identifying AI-generated music is becoming increasingly complex. Some artists openly disclose that their work involves AI assistance, while others remain deliberately vague. To verify, Billboard has begun using tools such as Deezer’s AI detection system, which automatically flags tracks created or modified by artificial intelligence. Still, as the technology becomes more sophisticated, the boundaries between human and algorithmic creativity are blurring faster than the industry can regulate or label them.
Other AI acts have also found success. For instance, ChildPets Galore entered the Christian Digital Song Sales chart in August with “The Only Thing I Can Take to Heaven”, selling 1,000 downloads in its debut week. The track’s songwriter, Cindy Hugo, has since amassed more than 1.2 million streams in the U.S., according to data from Luminate.
Another example is Unbound Music, an AI-assisted project led by songwriter Terrance LeDoux. Their track “You Got This” debuted on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart at No. 47, helping the project amass roughly 5.5 million official streams.
Vietnamese songwriter Thong Viet’s virtual project Enlly Blue entered the Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 15 with “Through My Soul,” which has since surpassed 5 million streams. Meanwhile, contemporary Christian AI-powered artist, Juno Skye, has accumulated around 1.6 million official streams in the U.S.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported on AI-generated “actress” Tilly Norwood in Hollywood.
