Australia has taken a major step in the growing debate over artificial intelligence and music, banning songs created entirely by AI from its official music charts and annual awards.
The decision was announced by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which said fully AI-generated recordings will no longer be eligible for its charts from Friday. The move comes after controversy surrounding an AI-heavy cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” that climbed to the top of an Australian dance chart.
However, the new rules do not completely shut AI out of the music industry. Tracks in which artificial intelligence is used only as a supporting creative tool will remain eligible.
ARIA will rely on a new industry labelling system to determine how much AI was involved in a recording. Under the framework, music is considered “AI-Generated” when AI creates all or most of its creative elements. Meanwhile, “AI-Assisted” refers to recordings where artificial intelligence contributes to only certain expressive aspects.
ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd said the changes were designed to keep the charts open to technological innovation while ensuring that fully AI-produced music does not gain an advantage over human artists.
The policy followed backlash over a cover of Madonna’s 1989 hit “Like a Prayer” by Brisbane DJ Josh Fawaz. The recording features AI-generated vocals and drums and reached No. 1 on ARIA’s Top 20 Australian Dance Singles Chart.
Fawaz later confirmed that AI had been used in the production after questions were raised about the track’s creation. The song has reportedly amassed more than 48.5 million Spotify streams and remains at the top of the Australian dance chart.
Despite the controversy, Fawaz has defended artificial intelligence as a legitimate creative tool and welcomed ARIA’s new rules.
The decision has also reignited wider concerns about copyright, ownership and whether AI companies should be allowed to use human-created music to train their systems.
Oliver Bown, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, warned that some commercial AI music companies could be exploiting artists by using their work without permission. While he acknowledged that musicians can use AI responsibly, he said the technology could also be used to create music primarily for generating streams and revenue.
University of Sydney senior lecturer Ivan Zavada similarly backed the move, saying clearer legal and intellectual-property rules are needed as AI becomes more common in music production.
With ARIA publishing more than two dozen weekly charts, including Australia’s major singles and albums rankings, the new policy could become an important precedent as the global music industry works out how to balance artificial intelligence with human creativity
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