Australia Bans Fully AI-Generated Music from Official ARIA Charts
Effective August 31, 2026, fully AI-generated songs will be prohibited from appearing on the ARIA Charts, as announced by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) on August 24. To be eligible, songs must be 'substantially human made.' AI-generated music refers to recordings where the majority of creative elements are produced by AI. However, music that is primarily created by humans but assisted by AI will still qualify. This policy comes in response to the increasing popularity of AI tracks, such as Josh Fawaz's AI-enhanced rendition of Madonna's 'Like a Prayer,' which reached No. 2 in May. ARIA will review submissions individually, allowing artists to appeal any exclusions. CEO Annabelle Herd emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between AI as a tool and human creativity.
Key facts
- ARIA announced the ban on August 24, 2026.
- New rules take effect with the chart dated August 31, 2026.
- Songs must be 'substantially human made' to qualify.
- AI-generated music is defined as recordings where AI created all or most primary creative elements, including lead vocals or key instrumental performances.
- AI-assisted music remains eligible if main creative elements and performances are primarily human-made.
- Josh Fawaz's AI-assisted cover of Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' peaked at No. 2 on ARIA's Top 20 Australian Singles chart in May.
- ARIA will evaluate recordings case-by-case, considering human involvement, lawful use of AI tools, and chart manipulation concerns.
- Artists can contest decisions to exclude their music.
Entities
Artists
- Josh Fawaz
- Madonna
- Dolly Parton
- Beyoncé
Institutions
- Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)
- International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)
- Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
- Universal Music Group
- Warner Music Group
- Sony Music
- Billboard
- Luminate
- Apple Music
Locations
- Australia
- United States
- Latin America
- Middle East
- Africa
- Southeast Asia