Australia's ARIA Charts Ban AI-Generated Music

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is prohibiting songs entirely generated by artificial intelligence from appearing on its main music charts, implementing a change to its code of practice that takes effect Friday.

Under the new rules, music must be "substantially human made" to be eligible for charting. ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd stated that a chart rewarding unlicensed AI output would undermine the foundation of the recorded music industry.

"The ARIA charts are about tracking consumption and sales of music in Australia, but they're also about celebrating human artistry and success," Herd told ABC radio. "We're not particularly interested in including AI-generated music as part of that process, particularly when it's taking up a spot from an Australian artist in the chart."

Songs that incorporate AI as a tool to enhance creativity are still permitted, provided they are predominantly human-created and do not raise concerns about stream or chart manipulation. Herd acknowledged that AI can be a tool for innovation, noting that artists have historically adopted new technologies to evolve music.

The decision aligns with global AI principles established in July by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the record industry's global trade association. These guidelines are intended for implementation across official charts in various regions, including Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and are being advocated for adoption by over 20 other chart programs worldwide.

Australian electronic band Peking Duk has voiced support for ARIA's move, with band member Adam Hyde telling the breakfast show Today that AI risks "removing the human experience from life." He expressed concern that AI synthesizes existing music and could displace human artists.

"AI is using our stuff. It's using a lot of our peers' stuff, you know, people we know," Hyde said. "There is so much good art in Australia and something like AI coming along and kind of sweeping the charts and all that jazz, it's like, get it out."

Currently, at least one track on the ARIA charts utilizes AI. DJ and producer Josh Fawaz's dance track "Like A Prayer," which credits generative AI for its drums and vocals according to Spotify, is fourth on the ARIA's top 20 Australian singles chart after reaching number two in May. The song is a dance cover of Madonna's 1989 hit.