Breaking Rust - The Band that Doesn't Exist

Breaking Rust - the AI Country Artist

Imagine a band with no singer, no drummer, no guitarists, no keyboards, no bass player, no songwriters - zero stage presence. Welcome to Breaking Rust, the AI-generated country music artist.

Breaking Rust is the brainchild of Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor and his computers. Now imagine this 100% AI creation breaking into the Billboard Emerging Artist Charts at No. 9 and a single "Walk My Walk" reaching No. 1 on the Country digital song sales with over 3,000 units sold and with over 35,000 Instagram followers.

Since there are literally no band members, there is no registrations for performing rights on either BMI or ASCAP. The "band's" entire persona is represented through AI-Generated imagery like the rugged cowboy below.

Breaking Rust first released a debut EP called Resilient last month with eight tracks and are available on both Spotify and Apple Music:

Notable singles include:

• "Walk My Walk" (2025)

• "Livin' on Borrowed Time" (2025)

• "Whiskey Don't Talk Back" (2025)

• "Kicking Back at the Ground" (2025)

• "Love Don't Live Here" (2025)

• "Time Don't Stop" (2025)

• "The One's You Trust" (2025)

As someone who is trying to learn to play the guitar, it sort of irks me that maybe instead of guitar lessons, I should be working on my AI skillset. But I thought I'd give it a listen and provide an honest review for you.

It's INCREDIBLE... The single Walk My Walk gives you the gritty outlaw country feel (think Colter Wall's Sleeping on the Blacktop) of a bluesy minimalistic instrumental. Another song, Living on Borrowed Time makes me think about sitting in some honkytonk blues bar with a dusty neon sign in the window and a bottle of whiskey on a wooden table.

And the lyrics? Original - tight, authentic:

I've been broke, been bruised, been used

Had folks talking like they know my shoes

Ain't no saint, I raised some hell

But I learned my peace where my demons dwell

I quit chasing ghosts that don't pay rent, mmh

Quit worrying about the ones who went

Now I walk my road, dust on my boots

Singin' my truth, whatever it roots

'Cause I don't give a damn who don't like me

This world spins fast and time ain't free

We're all just sparks in the midnight sky

Fading out slow, sayin' goodbye

So pour that whiskey, let it burn fire

Laugh at the scars that prove I'm alive

We're all just livin', hm

On borrowed time

Had some lovers, lost some friends

Some stories start, some just end

Every tear I shed don't wash me clean

Of all them fake folks and broken dreams

And I don't beg, I don't chase

Don't need no crown, I got my grace

Life's too short to wear a mask

So I will say my piece and sip my flask

'Cause I don't give a damn who don't like me

This world spins fast and time ain't free

We're all just sparks in the midnight sky

Fading out slow, sayin' goodbye

So pour that whiskey, let it burn fire

Laugh at the scars that prove I'm alive

We're all just livin', mmh

On borrowed time

Yeah, the clock don't stop, it don't rewind

You blink and you're forty, damn near blind

So love who you love and cuss when you need

Be your own man, that's all you can be

I don't give a damn who don't like me

Made my peace, my soul set free

We're all just sparks in a stormy sky

Burning out bright before we die

So raise that glass, let it hit just right

Here is to the truth and the dirt and the fight

Yeah, we're all just livin'

On borrowed time

I don't give a-

I don't give a-

I don't give a damn

I don't give a-

Breaking Rust isn't the first AI band to debut on Billboard's music charts - Just in the past few months, at least six other bands have made their mark on music including:

• ChildPets Galore - (Christian)

• Xania Monet - (Gospel and R&B)

• Unbound Music - (Rock)

• Enlly Blue - (Rock/Blues)

• Juno Skye (Christian)

Before this current wave of AI artists, there were a few other early adopters:

• Trump the Don made news as a parody AI project created by rapper Hi-Rez and reached No. 5 on both Rap Digital and R&B/Hip -Hop Digital Song sales charts

• BOI WHAT debuted at No. 14 for Hot Hard Rock Songs with PLAN Z

• Cain Walker (AI Assisted Country)

• World Hive (Christian)

• Solomon Ray (Gospel)

• JoshM (Christian)

Flesh and blood musicians are naturally upset about this digital trend as they see their life's work being reduced to ones and zeros. Whiskey Riff's Aaron Ryan noted that Walk My Walk, while "groovy" and reminiscent of classic country music, brought him concerns over AI's synthetic origins and argues that AI erodes the genre's emphasis on authenticity. He reminded us of the backlash that came about when AI was used to recreate Randy's Travis' vocals after he had a stroke and was unable to speak or walk but then released "Where That Came From" which sampled his music and helped to record his likeness. While not an AI creation, the idea that a vocal could be overlayed using computers to create a song for him brought mixed reviews from his fans.

Check out Breaking Rust's music on Apple or Spotify and decide for yourself. I enjoyed the EP immensely, but you be the judge.

Time will tell what will happen next with AI and the music industry. But a word of advice...if someone offers to sell you tickets to Breaking Rust's live concert, you'd be wise to decline.