Major Labels Demand AI-Generated Songs Be Excluded from Music Charts

A coalition of nearly a dozen major record companies, including Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group, is calling for global music charts to adopt policies disqualifying many AI-generated tracks. The labels propose that AI songs should only be eligible if the AI use is authorized and lawful, the track is substantially human-made, and it does not involve streaming fraud or chart manipulation. This would still allow primarily human-created songs that lawfully use AI as a supplemental tool. The move comes amid lawsuits against AI music generators Suno and Udio for copyright infringement, with UMG settling with Udio and WMG settling with both, while Sony has not yet settled. The labels argue that many AI tracks are trained on artists' music without authorization and are often linked to streaming fraud. Notable cases include the AI country act Breaking Rust, which made the country digital sales chart last year. The call follows recent pushes by the RIAA and IFPI for streaming services to label AI-generated content explicitly.