A coalition of nearly a dozen of the biggest record companies in the music business — including the “big three” of Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group — are calling for global music charts to adopt policies that would disqualify many AI-generated tracks from consideration.
The companies are urging chart authorities to implement new regulations that would permit AI-generated songs to appear on charts only if their creation is authorized, lawful, substantially human‑crafted, and free from concerns of streaming fraud or chart manipulation.
These conditions do not outright exclude all AI‑generated songs; a track that is primarily created by humans and lawfully incorporates AI as a supplementary tool may still be eligible. However, the criteria would substantially narrow eligibility. The leading AI music platforms continue to face lawsuits alleging mass copyright infringement in model training, and a significant portion of AI‑generated content uploaded to streaming services is linked to streaming fraud.
“Tracks produced using generative AI systems have been appearing on streaming platforms, many of which were developed with tools trained on artists’ works without permission,” the companies stated in a release on Wednesday. “Such tracks are also frequently associated with streaming fraud. To address this, record companies are advocating for the development and licensing of AI music services that respect the rights of music creators. By adopting these principles, human creators will gain greater assurance that tracks manufactured through unauthorized algorithms — or fraudulently promoted — will not be celebrated by industry charts.”
While AI‑generated songs have not yet dominated the charts, several notable examples have emerged. For instance, the AI country act “Breaking Rust” attracted considerable media attention last year after securing placement on the country digital sales chart. It should be noted, however, that positions on digital sales charts do not reflect widespread consumption, as only a few thousand sales are required to chart in that category given the decline of digital downloads in the streaming era.
AI remains one of the most pressing issues for the music industry, as the record companies have announced collaborations with entities such as Nvidia, Spotify and Stability AI to develop AI music tools, while simultaneously pursuing legal action when those companies cross regulatory lines. All three major labels filed lawsuits against AI music generators Suno and Udio in 2024; UMG settled with Udio last year, and WMG reached settlements with both Suno and Udio. Sony has yet to finalize an agreement with either platform.
The labels’ advocacy comes shortly after the RIAA and IFPI announced an initiative urging streaming services to more clearly label AI‑generated content, proposing a labeling scheme analogous to the current explicit‑content warning, with an AI icon displayed alongside songs.
