In the past month, a rendition of Madonna’s popular song “Like a Prayer” gained significant airplay on Australian radio stations. However, the track faces potential exclusion from official music charts in Australia due to recent regulations implemented by the local music industry.
The Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA), responsible for managing the country’s music charts, announced that songs entirely created by artificial intelligence will no longer be eligible for chart inclusion. ARIA specified that recordings must have a substantial human element to qualify for placement on the ARIA charts.
According to ARIA spokesperson Andrew Knowles, tracks where generative AI significantly contributes to the creative components, such as lead vocals or instruments, will be disqualified. Nevertheless, recordings that feature human performances at their core, with minor AI enhancements, will still be considered for chart inclusion.
Additionally, ARIA emphasized its authority to remove songs suspected of artificially inflating streaming or chart performance. The association stated that tracks must adhere to copyright laws and regulations and highlighted that works produced solely by generative AI will not qualify for the prestigious ARIA Awards.
ARIA’s CEO, Annabelle Herd, expressed the organization’s commitment to preserving the human aspect of music creation in an evolving industry. Herd asserted that the ARIA charts aim to transparently reflect the music preferences of Australians and emphasized the importance of recognizing legitimate artistic efforts.
The decision follows the success of Josh Fawaz’s rendition of “Like a Prayer,” featuring AI-generated vocals and drums, which enjoyed a lengthy presence on the ARIA Top 20 Australian Singles chart. Despite reaching high chart positions, the track sparked controversy and debate regarding the use of generative AI in music production.
Critics, including music producer Mitch Thomas, accused Fawaz of exclusively relying on AI for music creation, suggesting the utilization of platforms like Suno. In response, Fawaz defended his approach, stating that AI serves as a tool in his music production process.
The new regulations will take effect next Monday, prohibiting entirely AI-generated tracks from ARIA charts. However, compositions incorporating AI in a supplementary capacity will still be considered. ARIA confirmed that Fawaz’s rendition of “Like a Prayer” did not meet the revised eligibility criteria based on information provided by the artist.