Australia Bans AI-Generated Songs from Music Charts

Australia is drawing a clear line in the sand for artificial intelligence in its music industry. The nation's official music charts will soon exclude songs that are predominantly or entirely created by AI. This move by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which manages the charts, aims to preserve the human element in music.

Under the revised code of conduct, a recording must be "substantially human-made." Furthermore, songs cannot be artificially boosted in the charts through fake streams or other deceptive practices. These new regulations are set to take effect on Friday.

The decision comes after a recent incident involving a cover of Madonna's "Like a Prayer." Performed by Australian DJ and producer Josh Fawaz, the track became the most played song on Australian radio in July and reached number four on the ARIA charts. However, it was later revealed that both the vocals and drums were generated using AI. An ARIA spokesperson told ABC that such AI usage could now disqualify a song from chart consideration.

ARIA reserves the right to exclude songs from chart inclusion or remove them retroactively. This power extends to correcting chart positions and revoking awards already given. Artists and their representatives will have the right to appeal exclusions by providing evidence of a song's eligibility. The music industry has voiced concerns about AI systems being trained on existing artists' work without consent, while also acknowledging AI's growing role as a tool in music production. ARIA plans to continuously review and adapt these rules in line with technological advancements.

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substantially human-made