Australia bans fully AI-generated songs from music…

Australia has introduced new regulations prohibiting wholly AI-generated songs from appearing on its official music charts, marking a significant shift in how the music industry handles synthetic content. The policy, enforced by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), mandates that all chart entries must be substantially human-made.

What happened

The regulatory change follows controversy surrounding a cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” by Brisbane DJ and producer Josh Fawaz. Although the track became the most-played song on Australian radio in July and reached the top of the Australian Dance Singles chart, it faced scrutiny after producer Mitch Thomas alleged the song was generated entirely by AI. While Fawaz maintained he used AI as a tool, Spotify credits were later updated to disclose the use of AI for vocals and drums.

Under the new ARIA guidelines, tracks that use generative AI as a primary creative element are ineligible for charting. ARIA retains the authority to remove tracks retrospectively, adjust chart positions, or withdraw accreditations if a song is found to be non-compliant. ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd stated that the move is intended to ensure the charts measure music produced by human creativity rather than rewarding unlicensed AI output. The policy aligns with international standards set by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which has encouraged over 20 official chart programs worldwide to adopt similar rules requiring entries to be substantially human-made. This development follows a similar precedent in Sweden, where an AI-generated track was previously barred from the official Sverigetopplistan chart.