An AI track almost topped the ARIA charts. Now only AI ‘assisted’ songs will be allowed

The organisation in charge of Australia’s pop music charts has announced a ban on tunes made wholly by AI, but some say it does not go far enough to protect local music.

The Australian Recording Industry Association will allow AI-assisted songs that have lead vocals, lyrics and primary instruments created and performed by humans to continue to top charts. Meanwhile, tunes “substantially” made using AI will not be allowed.

ARIA attracted criticism after an AI cover of Madonna’s hit 1989 song Like a Prayer by Josh Fawaz began topping its chart in May. The song’s credits on Spotify state that it uses generative AI for vocals and drums.

It peaked at No.2 at the time of release and has spent 16 weeks in the top 10. As of August 24, the song sits at No.4 on the chart. The track also appears on commercial radio as an Australian song, which helps stations fulfil obligations to promote 25 per cent Australian music – without paying the royalties.

ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd said while her association “can’t control what people listen to”, the new policy was made to ensure that the tunes that appear on the charts are “substantially human-made”.

“We also don’t want to be celebrating or encouraging tracks that are recorded using AI tools that have stolen music to train their AI systems,” Herd said.

“It’s fine to use AI in your music creation … We’re not saying that that is going to be banned from the chart but we’re saying that tracks that are not substantially human [will be banned].”

The singer-songwriter Jack River, whose real name is Holly Rankin, said the changes were an important step for Australia’s music industry and had opened up a conversation about how “human” music can be in an era of AI.

“I really back it because it means that we’re putting human artistry and human creativity first,” Rankin said. “I don’t think anybody wants to go and see an AI agent performing at Groovin’ the Moo.

“We do need to have a conversation about what constitutes music, human-created music, and it’s a very strange reality we’re living in … I think we have that responsibility as artists to tell audiences what’s in our [music].