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Australia’s Top Music Charts Ban AI Songs

The Australian

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Date Published
25 Aug 2026
Priority Score
2
Australian
Yes
Created
26 Aug 2026, 04:03 am

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Description

Music made by artificial intelligence will be banned from Australia's top charts under new guidelines aimed at protecting "the human nature of artistry", an industry body said Tuesday.

Summary

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has implemented new guidelines requiring music to be 'substantially human made' to qualify for official charts, effectively banning wholly AI-generated tracks. This move highlights growing concerns regarding the displacement of human artistry and the proliferation of unlicensed AI-generated content within the creative industries. While the decision addresses intellectual property and industry economic structures, it serves as a localized case study in governance responses to generative AI's impact on professional sectors. The policy emphasizes transparency and the preservation of human-centric creative value in the face of rapid advancements in frontier generative models.

Body

Australia's top music charts ban AI songsAustralia's top music charts ban AI songsSeveral major music industry organisations have unveiled a labelling system for content created with generative AI that they would like to see widely adoptedGift this articleless than 2 min read22 hours agoAFPMusic made by artificial intelligence will be banned from Australia's top charts under new guidelines aimed at protecting "the human nature of artistry", an industry body said Tuesday.Under new rules in force from Friday, music must be "substantially human made" in order to be eligible for the charts, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) said."Wholly AI-generated tracks will not be eligible for the ARIA Charts," the group said.It said its charts would exclude songs that use AI "to generate the entirety or the primary portion of the creative elements".But "recordings that use generative AI in a supporting role remain eligible," it added.The move follows growing concern in the music industry over a surge in AI-generated music hitting the airwaves.In July, a cover of Madonna's "Like a Prayer" soared to the top of the charts in Australia but drew scrutiny after it was revealed to have used AI-generated vocals and drums.Streaming giant Spotify has said it will launch a new "AI Persona" badge clearly identifying content producers that are AI-generated and not real people.More than one-third of new uploads to Apple Music are entirely created with AI, a platform executive told Billboard this year. That month several major music industry organisations unveiled a labelling system for content created with generative AI that they would like to see widely adopted."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," ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said."The ARIA Charts will always remain a transparent measurement of the music Australia consumes, but a chart that rewards unlicensed AI output would undercut the very basis of the recorded music we exist to represent," she said.oho/kln/mjwMore related storiesNewsWire‘Up yours, buster’: Dolly’s iconic TV momentThe Aussie journalist whom Dolly Parton once silenced with three words on national television has spoken out following the country legend’s death at 80.Read moreBusiness Breaking NewsWoolies insane profit surge revealedA key collectable that households can’t get enough of is driving Woolworths sales, which would have been even bigger if it wasn’t for a Fair work underpayment bill.Read more