Songs created by AI banned from Australia's music charts

Starting this week, songs created primarily by AI are being barred from Australia's music charts. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has implemented a new code to emphasize the significance of human artistry in music. This move comes in response to a recent controversy involving a Madonna cover by Australian DJ Josh Fawaz, which had topped both the ARIA dance singles chart and the overall charts for several weeks. Fawaz later added generative AI credits to the song due to public backlash.

ARIA believes that Australian artists face fierce competition in the world's most saturated market and is not interested in promoting AI-generated music lacking human creativity. While AI assistance can still be employed, artists must have written the song, performed the lead vocal, and played primary instruments. AI can also continue to be used for mastering and generating drum machines and auto-tune effects.

The updated code, based on guidelines set by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), also excludes music that raises concerns regarding stream or chart manipulation. ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd stated that the changes aim to keep the charts dynamic and promote the human nature of artistry in an ever-evolving industry. She emphasized that a chart rewarding unlicensed AI output would undermine the essence of the recorded music they represent.

Artists must now declare AI usage when submitting songs for chart consideration. If the charts later discover that a song is largely AI-generated, ARIA may adjust chart positions retroactively, and if the song reached the top spot, it may request the cancellation of awards. Among the artists supporting this decision are Australian electronic act Peking Duk, who released an AI-assisted version of their 2014 hit High on Instagram, which they captioned, "When you re-record your own song with AI so Australian radio will play it."

The band member, Adam Hyde, expressed concern that AI-generated music is stripping the human experience from life. In July 2022, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged strong protection for Australian creatives from AI, promising they would have control over how their work is used in AI training and that they would be compensated for its use.