From Friday, a song has to be substantially human to chart in Australia. ARIA, the country’s recording industry body, has rewritten its chart rules so that music largely or wholly created by AI is no longer eligible.
The rule change was not written in the abstract. It follows the run of Josh Fawaz’s AI-assisted cover of Madonna’s Like A Prayer, which topped the ARIA dance chart, reached number two overall and has been streamed more than 48 million times on Spotify. It also became the most-played track on Australian radio. Fawaz added generative AI credits to the song only after a backlash.
“We are not interested in promoting or celebrating the success of AI-generated music that does not contain human artistry,” said Annabelle Herd, ARIA’s chief executive. “Artists already use AI tools in their work, the charts can and should evolve to keep room for that, but music generated wholesale by services built on artists’ recordings is a different matter.”
The new code, which takes effect Friday, is based on principles set out by the global industry body IFPI. Music that raises “stream or chart manipulation concerns” is excluded too. A chart that rewarded unlicensed AI output, Herd argued, “would undercut the very basis of the recorded music we exist to represent”.
AI assistance is still allowed. Humans must have written the song and performed the lead vocal and primary instruments; mastering, drum machines and auto-tune remain fine. Artists will declare AI use when submitting a song, and ARIA can retrospectively adjust chart positions or ask for number-one awards back if music later turns out to be largely AI-generated.
Australia is not first. Sweden banned an AI-created song from its charts earlier this year, and the IFPI is rolling out similar guidelines across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. The Australian approach may well become the template.
Peking Duk, the electronic duo, backed the move. “AI-generated music is removing the human experience from life,” band member Adam Hyde said.