How Many AI Artists Have Debuted on Billboard’s Charts?

Debuted at No. 14 on Christian Digital Song Sales (dated Aug. 16) with “The Only Thing I Can Take to Heaven” (thanks to 1,000 downloads sold that week, according to Luminate). The song is credited to songwriter Cindy Hugo. To date, the artist’s catalog has earned 1.2 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate.

Created by Jones using the AI platform Suno, Monet’s blend of gospel and R&B has made her perhaps the most visible AI artist to date. Jones writes about 90% of Monet’s lyrics herself, with the rest inspired by stories from her friends and community. Monet has charted on Hot Gospel Songs, Hot R&B Songs, Adult R&B Airplay and Emerging Artists, among other charts, and her catalog has amassed 44.4 million official U.S. streams.

Earlier this month, Billboard estimated that five of her songs had generated $52,000 in just over two months.

The AI-assisted project by songwriter Terrance LeDoux debuted at No. 47 on the Emerging Artists chart dated Oct. 11, powered by “You Got This.” The song reached No. 10 on Rock Digital Song Sales that week with 1,000 downloads sold. Unbound’s artist bio states that its releases “combine human creativity with artificial intelligence,” with varying degrees of AI involvement. Its catalog has earned 5.5 million official streams.

The AI-assisted project by songwriter Thong Viet debuted at No. 44 on the Emerging Artists chart dated Oct. 18, thanks largely to “Through My Soul.” The song debuted at No. 15 on Rock Digital Song Sales that week with 1,000 downloads sold. Enlly’s artist bio says that the artist is “an independent blues artist” whose music blends “acoustic music, production, recording and AI-powered creativity.” Its catalog has earned 5.3 million official streams.

The contemporary Christian AI-powered artist, whose songs are credited to Nguyen Duc Nam, debuted at No. 44 on the Emerging Artists chart (dated Oct. 25), largely thanks to “Lord, You Are My Strength,” which tallied 1,000 downloads that week. Juno’s catalog has earned 1.6 million official streams.

The newest entrant, Breaking Rust, debuts at No. 9 on the Emerging Artists chart (dated Nov. 1), driven by two charting songs: “Livin’ On Borrowed Time”(No. 5 on Country Digital Song Sales and No. 13 on Digital Song Sales) and “Walk My Walk” (No. 14 on Country Digital Song Sales). The former debuts with 2,000 downloads sold, while the latter debuts with 1,000 sold. The project, credited to songwriter Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, has generated 1.6 million official U.S. streams.

While the recent wave of AI-charting artists feels sudden, their presence on Billboard’s charts isn’t entirely new.

In 2023, Trump The Don — a parody AI project created by the rapper Hi-Rez — reached No. 5 on both the Rap Digital Song Sales and R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales charts, and hit No. 45 on Digital Song Sales, with “First Day Out.” The song used AI-filtering technology to mimic Donald Trump’s voice to make it sound like he was rapping. It was released after his Fulton County arrest and subsequent viral mugshot, and received a boost in attention from several right-wing pundits.

That same month, BOI WHAT debuted at No. 14 on Hot Hard Rock Songs with “PLAN Z.” The artist creates music inspired by the Nickelodeon show Spongebob Squarepants. “PLAN Z” uses AI-filtering tools to mimic the voice of the character Plankton.