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The major labels propose rules to keep AI slop off the charts
Major record labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group have proposed excluding most AI-developed songs from official international charts. The initiative seeks to curb low-quality or potentially manipulated AI music while requiring clearer disclosure of AI use to listeners.
Under the proposal, AI-assisted recordings would need to be “substantially human made”, use lawful and authorised AI services, respect copyright and personality rights, and avoid concerns about streaming or chart manipulation. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry supports the proposal, but no chart organisation has yet committed to adopting it, and key terms such as “substantially human made” remain undefined.
In short
- Major labels want most AI songs excluded from official charts.
- Eligible tracks would need substantial human input and lawful AI use.
- No chart organisation has yet adopted the proposed rules.
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The case for
Supporters argue that chart rules should protect public trust and fair competition by limiting mass-produced or manipulated AI tracks, while requiring disclosure helps listeners understand how music was made. Requiring substantial human involvement and lawful, authorised tools could also uphold creators’ rights and ensure artists are not displaced through unauthorised use of their work or identity.
The case against
Critics could argue that excluding most AI-developed music risks disadvantaging artists who use these tools creatively, even when their work is original and made in good faith. Because terms such as “substantially human made” are undefined, the rules could be applied inconsistently, entrench labels’ influence over chart access, and make it harder for new forms of music to find an audience.
Explained simply
Official music charts rank songs using measures such as sales and streams, and record labels have a commercial interest in how those rankings are calculated. AI tools can now help create music, from generating vocals and instrumentals to assisting with parts of a recording.
The labels behind the proposal include Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group, which release recordings by many artists. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry represents the recorded music industry internationally; chart organisations decide their own rules.
The debate centres on how to distinguish human-led recordings from music made largely by AI, and how to protect copyright and performers’ rights. Chart rules could affect which songs gain visibility, while disclosure may help listeners understand how a recording was made.
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