The Truth About AI Music & The Superfan Strategy

The Truth About AI Music, Playlists & The Superfan Strategy

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As I move into my next release schedule, one thing is clear—I will not be using DistroKid’s Wheel of Playlist more than once per day, if at all. While I’m still evaluating the effectiveness of the tool, I’m also focused on understanding how much of my 300 new followers are legit and what truly drives sustainable engagement.

The Bot Dilemma & My Documentation

For a while, I was riding the high of Sanctuary’s sudden surge in streams. But I was also skeptical—was I being boosted by real listeners, or was my music being caught in the tangled web of botted playlists?

I started documenting everything on Instagram (@jackrighteousai) as I tried to piece together what was happening. One key moment was when DistroKid informed me that Spotify was removing Sanctuary due to ‘unusual’ activity. My account wasn’t penalized, and the song remained live on other platforms, but the fact that only Spotify took action raised some serious questions.

1. Was I unknowingly added to a botted playlist? I don’t pay for playlist placements, but the streaming patterns were unusual—huge spikes on specific days, then sudden drop-offs.
2. Did I trigger an algorithm by using DistroKid’s Wheel of Playlist too frequently? It’s possible that playing the wheel more than once per day flagged something in Spotify’s detection system.

Since the takedown, my streaming numbers have dropped noticeably, but interestingly, the decline seems to align with the past few weeks’ patterns—most of my plays were already concentrated between Tuesday and Thursday. Now I’m waiting to see if, when I drop my next track, those same “listeners” return or disappear entirely.

The Shift in My Thinking & Strategic Release Timing

One of the key things I’ve realized is that my Tuesday release schedule remains a strong strategy for independent artists. While major labels and bigger players dominate the algorithm with Friday releases, Tuesday offers lower competition in a highly saturated industry. This isn’t a secret anymore—many artists have caught on—but it’s still one of the best days to release new music when you’re fighting for space.

More importantly, my first release in this cycle is a re-release of my most popular track from Jack Righteous Origins Vol 1. If I’ve gained any real, engaged fans, they should be checking out this single within the first 7 days of release. The song is within the same genre and style, so there should be no reason for a drop in engagement outside of artificial activity.

That’s my mindset going into this—watch, observe, and analyze as we wait for the real results at the end of the week. If you want to follow this process in real time, make sure you’re connected with me on Instagram (@jackrighteousai). When Sanctuary first started gaining traction—whether from real fans or bots—I found myself shifting into a label mentality instead of just being an artist. I started thinking about monthly releases, scaling back music output, and focusing more on teasers and content marketing. But I had to stop and remind myself where I really am on this journey.

I’m just now completing my first full year of AI music, and creating music is more than just numbers—it’s about passion, depth, and evolution. I don’t want to lose sight of why I started making music in the first place.

Becoming My Own Superfan & The Reality of AI Music

What does it mean to truly support yourself as an artist? For weeks, I wasn’t listening to my own music—I was obsessing over the data, chasing the next version, trying to manage releases like a business rather than an evolving creative. That was a mistake. I’ve learned enough now to recognize that I need to stay immersed in my own music, let the creativity drive me, and let the strategy support rather than consume the process.

But this also ties into the reality of being an AI creator. Traditional musicians follow a 2 to 5-year development path before they truly start gaining traction. In contrast, AI creators—especially those in music—are trying to break into the same competitive space where thousands of dollars per month are spent just to push songs ahead in algorithm-driven platforms.

Let’s be clear: if you don’t have a strong group of engaged superfans who are actively showing the algorithm where to find more listeners like them, then that algorithm will prioritize the artists who are paying for that exposure. AI music, no matter how great, faces a fundamental challenge—technical quality. The difference between a professionally mastered track and an AI-generated song is night and day. You might gain traction, even build a solid following, but eventually, you will hit a natural plateau.

I’m not here to sell a fantasy—I’m here to be open, honest, and transparent. While there may be rare cases of AI music “jackpots,” they are few and far between. The real path to success is sustainable audience building, and that means thinking beyond just “hoping the algorithm works in your favor.” What does it mean to truly support yourself as an artist? For weeks, I wasn’t listening to my own music—I was obsessing over the data, chasing the next version, trying to manage releases like a business rather than an evolving creative. That was a mistake. I’ve learned enough now to recognize that I need to stay immersed in my own music, let the creativity drive me, and let the strategy support rather than consume the process.

This doesn’t mean the label mindset is wrong—it’s just not the right focus for me at this stage. My long-term goal is clear: I want to develop major productions around Jack Righteous as a character and brand. That means sharpening my skills as a lyricist and deepening my creative exploration.

The New Age of Guerilla Marketing

Back in the day, independent artists had to rely on guerilla marketing tactics—innovative, low-cost, strategic moves to gain exposure and connect with fans. AI creators need to think the same way. You can’t rely solely on algorithmic discovery. Instead, you have to create your own engagement funnels, experiment with different content formats, and find ways to make people care about your music beyond just a playlist add.

That’s one of the reasons why I started Righteous Reviews—to show how artists can tie their music into their brand in meaningful ways. Whether it’s reviews, storytelling, or community-driven content, artists need to think differently about how to attract and retain their audience.

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Let’s Build Together

If you’re working on your own long-term projects, I invite you to bookmark this site and follow my journey. Let’s encourage and inspire each other as we push the boundaries of music and storytelling.

📩 Stay connected: @jackrighteousai If you’re working on your own long-term projects, I invite you to bookmark this site and follow my journey. Let’s encourage and inspire each other as we push the boundaries of music and storytelling.

📩 Stay connected: @jackrighteousai