Songs predominantly or entirely generated by artificial intelligence are now excluded from Australia’s music charts.
Beginning this week, all submissions must be “substantially human-made” to qualify for chart eligibility.
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) stated that the updated code aims to “uphold the authentic artistry of human creators.”
This follows recent controversy surrounding a cover of Madonna’s *Like a Prayer* by Australian DJ Josh Fawaz, which topped the ARIA dance singles chart and reached number two on the national chart.
The track became widely featured on commercial radio playlists and accumulated over 48 million streams on Spotify.
Fawaz later added generative AI credits to the song following public criticism.
ARIA emphasized that local artists face intense competition in today’s saturated music market and expressed disinterest in promoting AI-generated tracks devoid of genuine human creativity.
Under the revised rules, limited AI usage is permitted provided humans are responsible for songwriting, lead vocals, and primary instrumentation.
Additionally, AI may still be used for post-production tasks such as mastering, along with traditional tools like drum machines and auto-tune.
In March, a track was removed from Sweden’s charts due to its AI-generated origins.
Meanwhile, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced in July plans to introduce AI guidelines across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia for chart compliance.
Based on the IFPI framework, ARIA’s updated code also prohibits music suspected of stream or chart manipulation.
ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd commented: “These revisions demonstrate our commitment to adapting dynamically while preserving the essence of human creativity in an evolving landscape.”
“While artists already incorporate AI tools into their workflow—and rightfully so—the wholesale generation of music via platforms trained on existing recordings presents a fundamentally different challenge,” she noted.
“Rewarding unauthorized AI output risks undermining the integrity of the recorded music ecosystem we strive to represent.”
Submitters must now disclose any AI involvement when entering songs for chart consideration.
If undetected AI-generated content is later identified, ARIA reserves the right to revise chart rankings retroactively and reclaim awards issued for top placements.
Artists and their representatives retain the option to appeal exclusions under the new policy.
Supporting the decision, Australian electronic duo Peking Duk previously released an AI-assisted rendition of their 2014 hit *High*, posting it on Instagram with the caption: “When you re-record your own song with AI so Australian radio will play it.”
Band member Adam Hyde told Channel Nine’s *Today* program that AI-generated music strips away “the human experience from life.”
In a related move, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged last year to provide “the strongest possible safeguards” for Australian creators against exploitative AI practices.
He committed to ensuring writers and musicians maintain control over how their work is used in AI training datasets, warning that failure to compensate creators would constitute theft.
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