For decades, Nashville has been the beating heart of songwriting—where stories meet sound and session musicians transform ideas into timeless tracks. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence in music, the very soul of that process is being challenged. Nashville Tracks is taking a stand with its new “Just the Tracks” service, designed for do-it-yourself songwriters and producers who still value the human touch.
A Service for the DIY Era
Not every songwriter needs—or can afford—a full production. That’s why Nashville Tracks has rolled out Just the Tracks, a stripped-down but powerful offering. Songwriters send in a rough worktape, and in return receive pro-level multitracks from a Nashville studio band: drums, bass, guitars, keys, and a chart. No vocals, no mixing—just the raw building blocks to create your own demo or final cut.
This flexible approach lets writers with home studios record overdubs, craft their own mixes, and shape the music their way—without losing the authenticity of Nashville musicianship. And it’s working. Many demos cut at Nashville Tracks have gone on to successful NSAI song pitches, proving that even stripped-back tracks can open doors when they’re built on solid musicianship.
The Battle Against AI in Songwriting
The music industry is at a crossroads. AI tools are being marketed as quick fixes—able to spit out chord progressions, lyrics, or even full demos in minutes. But what do songwriters risk when they lean too heavily on machines?
According to the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), there are critical concerns:
Copyright Protection – Songs written entirely by AI aren’t eligible for U.S. copyright, leaving writers with no legal claim to ownership.
Submission Standards – NSAI evaluation services and pitch sessions encourage simple guitar-vocal or piano-vocal demos, valuing clear melodies and lyrics over production polish. In other words: a human voice matters more than a synthetic one.
Contest Rules – The NSAI Song Contest explicitly bans AI-written songs or lyrics. Submissions must be the original work of the songwriter.
AI might save time, but it also risks diluting creativity, ownership, and authenticity. As NSAI acknowledges, these are not small issues—they strike at the very foundation of what it means to be a songwriter.
Why Supporting Musicians Matters
Choosing live musicians over AI isn’t just about sound quality—it’s about sustaining the ecosystem that makes music possible. Here’s why:
Authenticity and Emotion – Musicians bring lived experiences and nuance to every track. AI can mimic, but it can’t feel.
Economic Impact – Every AI-generated demo is one less job for a session player, engineer, or songwriter. Supporting real musicians keeps the craft alive.
Community and Collaboration – Nashville has always been about community: writers, players, and producers working together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Replacing that with algorithms cuts the heart out of the process.
When songwriters choose services like Nashville Tracks, they’re not just investing in their own catalog—they’re investing in the livelihoods of working musicians who make Nashville, well, Nashville.
Looking Forward
AI may have a place in music as a tool for collaboration or inspiration. But when it comes to demos, pitches, and the songs that move us, nothing replaces the spark of human creativity.
With Just the Tracks, Nashville Tracks is giving songwriters the best of both worlds: affordability, flexibility, and, most importantly, authenticity. In the face of AI’s growing presence, that authenticity might be the single most valuable thing a songwriter can bring to the table.
👉 Learn more at NashvilleTracks.com and keep your music human.
