Australia's music industry bans AI-generated tracks from official charts

Australia's music industry is drawing a line in the sand against artificial intelligence, announcing that tracks entirely generated by AI will be barred from official charts. This move aims to protect artists' livelihoods as generative technologies rapidly evolve.

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These changes reflect our intent to remain dynamic and promote the human nature of artistry in what is, to say the least, a rapidly developing space.

The catalyst for this decision appears to be a viral AI-generated rendition of Madonna's hit "Like a Prayer." Created by an Australian producer using AI vocals and drums, the track spent 16 weeks in the Australian top 20, reaching as high as second place on the Australian Record Industry Association's (ARIA) singles chart. This success ignited a fierce debate about AI's role in music creation.

Starting next week, only music that is "substantially human made" will be eligible for the ARIA charts. Specific criteria include humans writing the song, performing the lead vocal, and playing the primary instruments. AI-assisted music may still qualify if these human elements are dominant. Furthermore, AI-generated music will also be ineligible for the prestigious ARIA awards.

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The ARIA Charts will always remain a transparent measurement of the music Australia consumes, but a chart that rewards unlicensed AI output would undercut the very basis of the recorded music we exist to represent.

ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd stated that these changes are intended to "remain dynamic and promote the human nature of artistry." She emphasized that the charts will continue to reflect music consumption but will not reward "unlicensed AI output," which she believes would undermine the industry's foundation. The new rules align with international guidelines from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which also mandate that tracks must be substantially human-created to qualify for official charts.

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It can be quite hard to avoid AI tools in the current landscape. There is a way to use it while you're still steering the ship and making the main creative choices.