Major Labels Push for Guidelines to Keep AI-Generated Music Off the Charts

Several major record labels, including the big three—Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group—have put forward new rules regarding the eligibility of AI-generated songs for music charts. Essentially, these songs would be excluded from chart consideration.

This proposal goes beyond a previous initiative by various industry groups aimed at establishing standardized labels for AI-generated and AI-assisted music. While that initiative called for clear labeling of such songs, it also stipulated that they would not appear on international charts unless they met certain criteria, including being “substantially human made.”

To qualify, songs would need to adhere to the terms of service of the AI tools used, ensure that the AI model had rights to the data it was trained on, and avoid any concerns related to stream or chart manipulation. However, the specifics of what constitutes “substantially human made” and the nature of the concerns remain unclear. Sony Music, UMG, and Mom+Pop Music have not yet provided clarification on these points.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) supports the labeling initiative, but no charting organization has indicated plans to implement these rules immediately. The full list of criteria includes:

> Recordings developed with generative AI services must not be included in official charts if there is reason to believe they do not meet all of the following criteria:
> Any generative AI services used to create the recording are properly authorized and lawful.
> They are substantially human made.
> They do not raise concerns about stream or chart manipulation.
> They comply with relevant laws, including copyright, related rights, and personality rights.
> The availability of the recordings does not violate the terms of the generative AI service used.
> The use of generative AI services in the creation of the recording is clearly communicated to consumers on downstream platforms (e.g., digital streaming services), in line with applicable legislation and/or industry labeling standards.