Would AI-Generated Music Make Woody Guthrie Turn Over in His Grave?
Folk music doesn’t seem like a likely candidate for a positioning strategy marketing analysis. Isn’t its main “position” anti-establishment? Au contraire. Music is also a business, as any musician knows.
In America, folk music has a purposefully fuzzy boundary, weaving through the history of jazz, bluegrass, country, gospel, blues and other cultural music. I’m calling this the “folk penumbra.”
But you know what folk music isn’t? Artificial. In July 2025, one million fans of new folk-rock-inspired The Velvet Sundown were shocked and dismayed to learn their new favorite listen is completely generated with AI. Here are some reactions from a recent Reddit forum titled, “The Velvet Sundown Hate Thread.”
“I don’t have much more to say than this. I’m simply heartbroken.”
“Delete this post. The more people post their name, more people will search them up and listen. Music like this deserves no attention at all.”
“I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of this kind of stuff unfortunately….Music providers have choices to make and will probably lean to whatever makes them more money.”
To me, The Velvet Sundown sounds inoffensive and over-produced, which makes sense, right? Don’t take my word for it. Here’s their (its?) most popular song:
We could wonder why a folk-ish band is the first breakout hit on Spotify from a 100% AI effort (outlaw country AI band Aventhis claims a human songwriter). Wouldn’t rock or hip hop have a better chance of positioning strategy marketing success once the fans learned the truth?
Maybe it’s because folk music is having a moment and is falling prey to its own resurgence. That sounds poetic, but it could also be true.
Positioning Strategy Marketing:
Folk on the Silver Screen
Released in 2024, the film A Complete Unknown follows music legend Bob Dylan, along with a host of other folk music heroes, from 1961 to 1965. It culminates with his controversial rock performance at the Newport Folk Festival.
It has been fairly well received, with 82% Tomatometer and 95% Popcornometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also ushered in a new era of appreciation for folk music, which I’m sure was part of Dylan’s motivation for participating in the project.
Laura Snapes wrote in her Guardian article, “Don’t look back: after decades of apathy, A Complete Unknown has turned me into a Dylan nut.”
“I went into the cinema without expectation, I left feeling like a besotted teenager and have listened to little other music since.”
She’s not alone. Rolling Stone reported in February 2025:
“According to Spotify data shared with Rolling Stone, Dylan’s songs got about one million streams per day a year ago; thanks to the movie, that number is now closer to 4 million. Streams of his overall catalog have jumped 100 percent. Newcomers to his body of work have increased 110 percent, and in that category are now three times the number of women than in the past.”
Bob Dylan struggled to draw folk music into the electric age. Dylan became a superstar, but did he really change “folk” all that much?
Positioning Strategy Marketing:
What Does Human-Based Folk Music Look Like Today?
The “trouble” with positioning strategy marketing for folk music is that it’s an intimate cultural expression, usually most powerfully felt in person. Folk music will mean something different to different “folks,” depending on where they’re from and their life experiences. Here are three examples of what happening in folk today.
“Man of the People” Oliver Anthony Navigates Fame as Best He Can
Oliver Anthony has tried really hard to eschew the business of music. When he broke on the scene in 2023 with the viral single “Rich Men North of Richmond,” he promptly turned down an $8 million offer from the music industry.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t engage in positioning strategy marketing, though. Instead, he has taken personal charge of his branding. Through his Facebook page, he cultivates intense loyalty with his fans through:
- Unflinchingly addressing his personal and life struggles, including his substance abuse history
- Asking for patience as he navigates the chaos of fame
- Trying to reduce ticket prices while also playing smaller venues
- Trying to choose rural and small-town venues that are closer to his fans
- Refusing relationships with ticket-sales megabrands Live Nation and Ticketmaster
- Publicizing his plans to change his focus from music to ministry (although he still has tour dates in 2025)
In August 2024, my niece and her husband attended an Oliver Anthony concert in Indiana. Tickets started at a reasonable $35. The next day, my nephew-in-law texted me:
“Oliver Anthony was awesome last night! It was the best concert I’ve ever been to.”
A brief survey of current ticket prices at Anthony’s website show many sold-out shows and also higher ticket prices for 2025’s tour. I imagine he’ll have a positioning strategy marketing challenge moving forward with the realities of supply and demand.
America’s River Roots Festival Insists “Folk” is a State of Mind
In October 2025, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will host America’s River Roots Festival. The event’s website describes its positioning strategy marketing:
“An exceptional cast of community leaders and sponsors have assembled to host a signature event that celebrates Ohio River Valley’s pivotal role in shaping our nation in advance of its upcoming 250th birthday in 2026… Our goal is to showcase the uniquely diverse cultures, cuisine and music of America’s inland waterways that distinctly shaped our nation through this wondrous ecological region. We will celebrate the origins of roots music with national, emerging and local artists across multiple stages, enjoy river cuisine presented by celebrated chefs, and highlight our unrivaled river culture.”
“Roots” and “folk” can be interchangeable terms. Roots music is generally recognized as the authentic “root” of other genres like rock ‘n roll, rap, R&B and others.
America’s River Roots Festival certainly looks like a lot of fun, but there’s some controversy over how loosely the organizers are sticking to the theme. Not every band is particularly folk-inspired. Here’s my informal assessment.
There’s also some pushback on festival pricing. A weekend pass starts at $244.49, and single-day admission starts at $97.96. The comments section for one Facebook ad promoting Weezer didn’t go as hoped.
Positioning strategy marketing for America’s River Roots Festival leads me to believe their focus is on well-to-do Millennials and Gen Z, the typical music festival audience.
Indianapolis Ceili Band Shows the Freshest Folk is Local
My colleague Connie explored how local fresh sweet corn is a valuable brand in her excellent article “Local Positioning Strategy Marketing.” She reports that 95% of consumers believe “local” offers meaningful benefits—no matter where they live and what might be local to them, specifically. And for many regional bands, being local also brings loyal fans.
Here’s a true example of local folk flavor. In July, my family trekked to small-town Metamora, Indiana to hear my friend Laura’s Irish dancing-music band. The Indianapolis Ceili Band has 9,000 followers on Facebook and were raising funds to compete in the 2025 Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Wexford, Ireland. Enjoy this little video I took.
During the livestream from Ways of Grace Church, questions came in from around the world, and it appears the band raised $1,215 in donations at the concert. I’m glad to report they’ve surpassed their fundraising goal, and I wish them best of luck in Ireland!
These folk music positioning strategy marketing examples are only a small sliver of what’s happening with folk in my region. If you travel to the American South or West or East or North, you’re sure to find equally rich music of the people.
So, would AI-generated music make Woody Guthrie turn over in his grave? Oh yes. Most certainly. But I think he would be more than pleased at the ubiquity and diversity of folk music that is being performed and enjoyed “from California to the New York Island.”
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