The rise of AI-generated music has pushed the music industry into territory it has never really had to deal with before.
Over the past few months, different countries and organisations have started putting rules in place around copyright, the use of artists’ voices and likenesses, transparency and the use of copyrighted music to train AI systems.
In Europe, new transparency requirements around AI-generated content have started coming into force. In the UK, the conversation around copyright and AI training continues, while in the US there have also been moves to strengthen protection against the unauthorised use of artists’ voices and identities.
Music organisations have been making changes of their own, including clearer labelling for AI-generated recordings and new conditions around whether music involving AI can qualify for official charts.
Spotify has also announced plans to identify artist profiles built around AI-generated identities, with AI Persona badges expected to appear on relevant profiles.
Luminate has also stepped into the conversation with a new framework designed to help the music industry keep track of AI-generated music.
The company, which provides music data used across the industry, is adding ways to identify songs and artist profiles that are fully generated by AI within its CONNECT platform. According to Luminate, thousands of AI-generated recordings have already been picked up in its database.
It is also working with streaming services and AI music companies to improve how this information is reported, which should make it easier to see how much AI-generated music is being released and how listeners are responding to it.
The move is another sign that the industry is no longer treating AI music as something happening on the sidelines. Platforms and data companies are now trying to properly identify it, measure it and separate it from music created mainly by human artists.
But despite the different rules, labels and tracking systems coming into place, none of these moves has completely stopped AI-generated music from appearing on official music charts.
Australia has now taken that step further.
ARIA, the body behind the official Australian music charts, has changed its rules so that fully AI-generated recordings are no longer eligible to chart.
The rules do not prevent artists from using AI altogether. It can still be used for parts of the production process, including mastering, stem separation and other supporting tools. The restriction comes in when AI is responsible for the main creative performance.
A song with an AI-generated lead vocal, for example, would not be eligible. The same applies where a major instrumental performance has been generated by AI or where the recording has been created almost entirely from prompts.
Australia has now drawn one of the clearest lines yet on AI music. Artists can use AI as a tool, but a recording created primarily by AI will not be allowed to compete with human-made music on the official ARIA Charts.
