Australia’s music industry bans AI-generated songs from official charts

Australia's music industry will no longer allow tracks entirely created by artificial intelligence to appear on official charts, according to a spokesperson on Tuesday. This decision follows the success of an AI-generated version of Madonna's "Like a Prayer," which spent 16 weeks in the top 20 of the Australian charts, sparking discussions about the role of generative AI in music.

The song peaked at number two on the Australian Record Industry Association's (ARIA) top 20 singles chart in May and remained in fourth place as of Tuesday. The ARIA charting body stated that wholly AI-generated tracks would be banned from the charts starting the following Monday. However, music that uses AI tools for assistance will still be eligible, provided that "humans wrote the song and performed the lead vocal and the primary instruments."

AI-generated music would also be disqualified from the prestigious ARIA awards. ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd emphasized the industry's commitment to upholding the human element of artistry in the face of rapidly advancing technology. The ARIA charts will continue to serve as a transparent reflection of what Australian audiences are listening to, but a chart that rewards unlicensed AI output would undermine the very foundation of the recorded music industry, Herd added.

It is worth noting that music created with AI tools, trained on artists' work without permission, has been appearing on streaming platforms. This move by Australia aligns with new guidelines recently released by the London-based International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. These international principles stipulate that a track must be "substantially human-made" to qualify for official charts.

Alexis Weaver, a composer and lecturer at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, acknowledged the contentious nature of the AI debate within the music community. She praised ARIA's decision as a "wonderful step forward" that sends a clear message of prioritizing and valuing human creativity. Weaver also acknowledged the challenges musicians face in navigating the current landscape, as it can be difficult to avoid AI tools while still making creative decisions.