Australia to ban fully AI-generated songs from its…

Australia’s official music charts will no longer count songs created entirely by artificial intelligence, a policy shift intended to promote the human nature of artistry in an increasingly crowded market. The change, implemented by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), follows the widespread success of an AI-generated cover of Madonna’s "Like a Prayer."

What happened

The policy change was prompted by a version of Madonna's "Like a Prayer" created by Queensland DJ Josh Fawaz. The track, which utilized AI-generated vocals and drums, spent 16 weeks in the Australian top 20, peaking at No. 2 in May 2026. It became the most-played song on Australian radio and accumulated over 48 million streams on Spotify. Although Fawaz eventually added generative AI credits to the listing following public criticism, the track’s success highlighted a gap in existing chart regulations.

Under the new ARIA Charts Code of Practice, which takes effect August 31, a recording only qualifies if humans wrote the song and performed the lead vocals and primary instruments. While AI can still be used as a helper—for tasks like mastering, drum machines, or auto-tune—the work must be substantially human-made and utilize licensed AI services. ARIA now has the authority to retrospectively remove recordings, adjust chart positions, and even revoke previously awarded No. 1 honors if a track is found to violate these standards. Furthermore, AI-generated tracks are now entirely excluded from the ARIA Awards. This move aligns Australia with international standards established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which are currently being adopted by over 20 official chart programs globally.