Australia bans ai-generated music from official charts

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has announced a new policy banning entirely AI-generated songs from its official music charts. The decision comes amid growing concerns over the impact of generative AI on the music industry. A previously AI-reworked version of Madonna's hit 'Like a Prayer' had spent 16 consecutive weeks in Australia's top 20, peaking at number 2 in May and remaining in the top 4 as of Tuesday. The new rule, effective next week, will exclude fully AI-created songs from the ARIA charts, while allowing tracks that use AI as an aid. To qualify for chart inclusion, songs must be primarily created by humans, including human composition, vocals, and instrumental performance. AI-generated music will also be ineligible for the ARIA Music Awards. The policy aligns with international guidelines set by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which requires songs to be mainly human-made to enter official charts. Alexis Weaver, a composer and lecturer at Sydney Music College, praised ARIA's decision as a 'very good step,' emphasizing the importance of human creativity. Weaver noted that while avoiding AI tools entirely may be difficult, the key is maintaining human control over the creative process.