Some of the biggest names in the music business are teaming up to stop AI-generated songs from appearing on official charts. Sony, Universal, and Warner are leading the charge, with support from many smaller independent labels.
The reason is simple: there is just too much AI music out there right now. Every single day, people upload tens of thousands of computer-made tracks to streaming services. Some of these songs have already become huge hits, landing high on Billboard and Spotify lists. And that does not sit well with the record labels.
So, what are they asking for? They want chart companies to bring in stricter rules. Their main demand is that only tracks made mostly by humans should be allowed in the rankings. If a song uses AI, the labels say that use must be completely legal and above board.
The coalition is also worried about cheating. They believe some AI tracks could be part of streaming fraud schemes, where people use bots to fake millions of plays. They do not want those songs anywhere near the charts.
Pressure is building on streaming apps to be more open about AI content. Just a few weeks ago, two big industry groups, the RIAA and IFPI, suggested a new tagging system. This would label songs as fully or partly AI-made right inside the app. Apple has already rolled out something similar with its Transparency Tags. But for now, it is up to the labels and distributors to decide whether to use them.
The scale of the problem became clear last year when Spotify had to wipe out over 75 million spam tracks from its platform. And the flood of AI songs does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. For now, it is unclear if chart companies will agree to the labels’ demands.
Via: Engadget