The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is introducing new rules for AI-generated songs.
If a song is 100% AI-generated, it won’t be eligible for the ARIA charts.
A song that includes some AI-generated elements can chart, as long as it’s considered “AI-assisted” rather than fully AI-created. ARIA has since clarified on the record that songs with AI-generated lead vocals or key instrumental components will also be considered ineligible.
The move comes after a suspected AI-generated track – DJ Josh Fawaz’s take on Madonna‘s ’Like a Prayer’ – recently made the ARIA charts.
It’s expected to be removed once the changes take effect Friday.
Context
Last month, Brisbane-based DJ Josh Fawaz’s version of ‘Like a Prayer’ went to number one on the National Radio Airplay Chart (not an ARIA chart).
The song is currently #4 on the ARIA Australian singles chart.
As the song climbed the charts, fellow Brisbane music producer Mitch Thomas (aka Needs No Sleep) alleged Fawaz’s music “is generated entirely with AI”.
Thomas said his songs sound “exactly” like music produced using AI platform Suno.
Fawaz responded by telling Thomas to “stop having a little sook,” adding that he uses “AI as a tool”.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
More broadly, in recent months multiple music industry bodies have cracked down on generative AI.
In March, Sony Music requested more than 135,000 ‘deepfake’ songs be removed from streaming platforms.
The global record label said some of its biggest artists were being targeted by voice-cloned tracks, including Harry Styles, Beyoncé, Queen, and Bad Bunny.
Earlier this month, Spotify announced it would label accounts which are either confirmed or believed to be AI-generated.
ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said in a statement:
“Artists already use AI tools in their work, the Charts can and should evolve to keep room for that, but music generated wholesale by services built on artists’ recordings is a different matter.”
“We call on all parties who have a role in deciding the music played and promoted to Australian audiences, particularly radio, to support human artistry and implement similar changes across their own codes.”
Change
From this Friday, 100% AI-generated tracks will no longer be allowed to appear on the ARIA charts.
Going forward, if ARIA finds a song was not “substantially” made by a human, shows signs of artificial streams, and/or infringes on copyright, it can choose not to count that song on the charts.
TDA understands the change is expected to affect Fawaz’s ‘Like A Prayer’, though its past chart performance will not be removed.
