ARIA to enforce human-centric chart rules
Songs created mostly or entirely by artificial intelligence will be excluded from Australia's official music charts from Friday, under new rules set down by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The updated ARIA Charts Code of Practice brings the country's charts in line with principles published in July by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the global recording industry body. More than 20 official chart programs are adopting such rules.
The change will apply to the charts released on Friday. ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd said the move gives everyone releasing music in Australia "a clear rule to work to." She also called on radio and other parties that decide what music is played and promoted to Australian audiences to "support human artistry and implement similar changes across their own codes."
The revised code excludes music that has used generative AI unless it is "substantially human-made" and "raises no stream or chart manipulation concerns." A statement from ARIA 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. ARIA can now remove ineligible recordings, alter chart positions, and revoke chart awards under the new code. Artists and their representatives are able to contest these exclusions.
The Australian Financial Review reported that ARIA will retain tracks it determines are substantially human-made and whose AI elements have not broken copyright laws.
The Like a Prayer case and broader industry concerns
The decision follows scrutiny of Queensland DJ and producer Josh Fawaz's cover of Madonna's "Like a Prayer," which became the most-played song on Australian radio and reached number four on two ARIA charts in July. Fawaz's rework, which used AI-generated vocals and drums, drew criticism from music figures who believed generative AI had been used in its creation. In an earlier comment, Fawaz said he used AI "as a tool" and later updated the track's listing on Spotify to state that the vocals and drums were AI-generated.
An ARIA spokesperson suggested to ABC Australia that IFPI rules would likely disqualify music with AI-generated lead vocals or key instrumentals, meaning such tracks may not qualify under the new chart rules.
The change echoes growing concern within the industry, as noted by the South China Morning Post, which cited the surge in AI-generated music hitting airwaves the prime motivation. The IFPI has also raised concerns about AI models trained on artists' music without authorization from rights holders.
A wider dispute and industry response
ARIA's move comes amid a broader dispute between creative industries and AI companies over the use of copyrighted material. At the same time, Spotify has pledged to badge AI personas and exclude them from recommendations by default—though that badge applies only to the artist identity and not to whether AI was used in a recording.
The Australian federal government is reportedly working on new AI rules that would include strong copyright protections for Australian creators.
Perspective: protecting human artistry
In a statement, ARIA said the change stems from a desire to protect "the human nature of artistry." The body emphasized that while AI tools can be useful, music created wholly by AI services built on existing recordings fails to meet that standard. The new rules are designed to ensure that human creativity remains the core of what is recognized on official charts.