Australia’s music charts ban AI-made songs amid backlash over Madonna cover

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkUnder the labelling rules announced by a coalition of organisations, tracks may be labelled 'AI-Generated' or 'AI-Assisted' depending on the level of human involvement in the writing and recording process [File: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters]By John PowerPublished On 25 Aug 202625 Aug 2026Australia’s official music charts have banned tracks mostly created by artificial intelligence (AI) following a backlash over a cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” that relied heavily on the burgeoning technology.“Wholly AI-generated” music will be excluded from the charts under the changes, while tracks that use AI in a “supporting role” will still be eligible, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) said on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4DRC’s constitutional battle: The fight over the 2028 votelist 2 of 4US plans to revoke business, tourism visas of 200,000 asylum seekerslist 3 of 4Brutal gang attack on strategic Haiti hillside leaves at least 30 deadlist 4 of 4Man killed in world’s largest annual bullfighting event in Mexicoend of listAI-generated music will also not be considered for recognition at the annual ARIA Music Awards under the new rules, which are set to take effect on Friday.ARIA said it would rely on a labelling system introduced by music industry groups last month to distinguish AI-generated tracks from those that use AI to complement human creativity.Under the labelling rules announced by a coalition of organisations including the Recording Industry Association of America, tracks may be labelled “AI-Generated” or “AI-Assisted” depending on the level of human involvement in the writing and recording process.Tracks are classed as “AI-Generated” if AI was used to create the “entirety or the primary portion of the creative elements of the recording” and “AI-Assisted” if the technology was used only for “some expressive elements”.ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said while the music charts should evolve to reflect the legitimate use of AI, they should not recognise music generated “wholesale” by technology that relies on other artists’ work.“These changes reflect our intent to remain dynamic and promote the human nature of artistry in what is – to say the least – a rapidly developing space,” Herd said in a statement.ARIA, whose members include major music labels such as Sony Music Entertainment Australia and Universal Music Australia, publishes more than two dozen weekly music charts in Australia, including the top 50 singles and top 50 albums.Madonna performs during a surprise concert in Times Square, in New York, US, on June 4, 2026 [Brendan McDermid/Reuters]The industry association’s decision comes after a Brisbane-based DJ’s chart-topping cover of Madonna’s 1989 hit Like a Prayer attracted a backlash over its use of AI-generated vocals and drums.Josh Fawaz last month belatedly acknowledged using AI on the track after music fans and producers raised suspicions that it was not produced by a human.The cover has racked up more than 48.5 million listens on music streaming platform Spotify and currently ranks number one on the ARIA Top 20 Australian Dance Singles Chart.Fawaz, who has defended the use of AI as a “tool” in his music, described ARIA’s new rules as a “great move”.“I understand that AI in music isn’t for everyone and that’s fine. Good to see Aussie artists killing it globally!!” Fawaz wrote in a social media post responding to the announcement.Oliver Bown, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales who researches the relationship between technology and art, said the impact of AI on creative industries such as music demands urgent attention.“Many large commercial AI music generation companies have assumed they can scrape training data without permission, and so are potentially predatory on artists,” Bown told Al Jazeera.“I believe people can do great artistic work using AI respectfully, but there is also a predatory phenomenon whereby you can just go fishing for plays and profits,” he added.“Many organisations have developed rules about AI use and an increasing number see the need to ban full-AI works. I think this is the right thing to do.”Ivan Zavada, a senior lecturer in composition and music technology at the University of Sydney, said the changes have been widely viewed as a “necessary step” to protect “genuine human musical creativity and performance”.“More work needs to be done on the legal and intellectual property fronts to enable more trust and clarity in these tools,” Zavada told Al Jazeera.“AI will be an essential part of standard music production in the very near future. We are living a very exciting yet concerning transition period in the digital and electronic arts.”