In the past month, a rendition of Madonna’s popular song “Like a Prayer” gained significant airplay on Australian radio stations. However, new regulations introduced by the Australian music industry may result in this cover being excluded from official music charts. The Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA), responsible for overseeing the country’s music charts, declared that tracks entirely produced by artificial intelligence (AI) will no longer qualify for chart placement.
According to ARIA spokesperson Andrew Knowles, the association established that recordings must have a substantial human element to be considered for the ARIA charts. Tracks predominantly generated by generative AI technology, especially concerning lead vocals or instrumental parts, will not meet the new eligibility criteria. Nevertheless, recordings where AI plays a minor role alongside a human performance will still be deemed eligible.
Additionally, ARIA has the authority to remove any recordings suspected of manipulating streaming or chart positions, ensuring compliance with copyright laws. Works created by generative AI will also be ineligible for prestigious accolades like the ARIA Awards. ARIA’s CEO, Annabelle Herd, emphasized the importance of maintaining the human aspect of artistry in the evolving music landscape.
The crackdown on AI-generated music follows the success of Brisbane DJ and producer Josh Fawaz’s rendition of “Like a Prayer,” which incorporated AI-generated vocals and drumbeats. Despite spending 16 weeks on the ARIA Top 20 Australian Singles chart and reaching No. 2 in May, Fawaz’s controversial single faced criticism for its AI involvement. Music producer Mitch Thomas publicly criticized Fawaz online, alleging that his music was entirely AI-generated using platforms like Suno.
Responding to the backlash, Fawaz defended his work, highlighting that AI was merely a tool in his creative process. The revised regulations will take effect next Monday, with fully AI-generated tracks being disqualified from the ARIA charts. However, music assisted by AI technology to a lesser extent will still be considered for chart inclusion. ARIA confirmed that Fawaz’s cover of “Like a Prayer” did not meet the new eligibility standards based on the information provided by the artist.