Australia bans AI songs from official music charts

Australia’s recorded‑music body has moved to bar songs that are created wholly by artificial intelligence from its official charts and from eligibility for its flagship awards. The decision, announced by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) on Tuesday, follows a high‑profile experiment in which an AI‑generated rendition of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” climbed the nation’s charts.

ARIA implements ban on entirely AI‑generated tracks

Under an updated Charts Code of Practice, ARIA will treat a track as ineligible for the ARIA charts if it is “wholly generated by artificial intelligence.” Songs that incorporate AI tools may still qualify, but only when “humans wrote the song and performed the lead vocal and the primary instruments,” according to ARIA's statement. The same rule will apply to the annual ARIA awards, meaning a fully AI‑produced work could not be nominated for any category.

The ban takes effect on the chart dated August 31, which will be based on the chart published on Friday, August 28. In a related note, the Egyptian Gazette reported that the prohibition will begin “Monday next week,” reflecting the same implementation window.

“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.”

Annabelle Herd, ARIA chief executive, via Gazette

Herd added that the ARIA charts must remain “a transparent measurement of the music Australia consumes,” warning that rewarding “unlicensed AI output” would undermine the basis of recorded music.

“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.”

Annabelle Herd, ARIA chief executive, via Gazette

AI‑driven “Like a Prayer” version ignites debate

The policy shift follows the viral success of an AI‑generated version of Madonna’s 1989 hit “Like a Prayer,” produced by Australian DJ and producer Josh Fawaz. According to gazettengr, the track reached No. 4 on two ARIA charts and became the country’s most‑played song on radio in July. The Egyptian Gazette reported that the same AI‑styled single spent 16 weeks in the Australian top 20, peaking at No. 2 on the ARIA top 20 Australian singles chart in May and holding a fourth‑place position at the time of reporting.

Both outlets agree that the song’s performance sparked a “widespread debate over human creativity,” prompting industry leaders to clarify how AI should be treated in a market that already sees artists using AI‑assisted tools for composition, production and mastering.

Industry response and next steps

ARIA said it has consulted with the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and other international bodies to shape the new rules. The association called on radio stations, streaming platforms and other parties that influence Australian audiences to adopt comparable standards, emphasizing the need for “clear rules to follow.”

While the ban targets tracks that are “wholly generated” by AI, ARIA’s Code still allows works where human creators retain primary songwriting and performance credits. The distinction is intended to keep room for AI‑assisted creativity while preventing “wholesale” AI output from crowding out human‑made music.

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said the changes were introduced to promote and protect human creativity and artistry, while providing people who release music in Australia with clear rules to follow. As the August 31 chart approaches, the industry will watch how the new code is enforced and whether similar measures will appear in other markets.