UMG, WMG, Sony, HYBE, Believe, BMG & More Propose New Principles for AI Song Chart Eligibility

Music companies including the Universal Music Group (UMG), Warner Music Group (WMG), Sony Music, HYBE, Believe, Concord, Mom+Pop Music, Partisan Records, Dirty Hit and Glassnote Records have proposed a set of principles for how AI-generated songs should be considered for chart eligibility.

The proposal sets out four eligibility guidelines for songs that use AI to be included on music charts: that the AI platform used to create a song is authorized; that the song complies with copyright laws, related rights and personality rights; that the use of AI within the song is properly communicated and labeled; and that the track is primarily created by a human and does not raise chart manipulation or streaming concerns.

Related

RIAA, IFPI & More Come Together to Create System for Tagging AI-Generated Songs

Chris Brown Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge of 'Affray' in 2023 London Club Assault Case

Soulja Boy Requests DNA Test for Son With Ex Jackilyn Martinez

“The framework would establish a clear boundary between human-led creativity and works that are purely synthetic or generated by unauthorized AI models,” a press release accompanying the announcement stated. “It will also help to ensure that any tracks with a fraudulently boosted stream count are not recognized and celebrated in the charts.”

The proposal follows one set forth by a separate coalition of music groups, including the IFPI, RIAA, the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), the European Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA), The Grammys, SAG-AFTRA and the Human Artistry Campaign, which proposed a system for tagging AI-generated songs on streaming services, similar to how songs and albums display the explicit label for inappropriate language and content. That proposed voluntary system would include two tags: one labeled “AI-generated” for songs that are created entirely via artificial intelligence; and one labeled “AI-assisted” for songs that include AI in some parts. The record labels’ proposal set forth today requests that songs that would be labeled “AI-generated” not be chart-eligible.

Neither system has been formally adopted by any streaming service or charting organization as of yet, including the Billboard charts. Today’s proposal is “intended to provide a unified roadmap for the consideration of official chart compilers, industry bodies and affiliated stakeholders worldwide,” the companies wrote in the release. “Together, the organizations proposing these principles stand ready to work with charts and industry bodies around the world to discuss these principles and support implementation of these important safeguards for human creativity by charts and industry bodies.” A rep for Billboard did not comment as of press time.

Related

The Recorded Music Industry Wants Labels on AI Music. How Could That Work? (FAQ)

French streaming serviced Deezer recently claimed that up to 50% of all daily uploads to its service are fully-AI generated, though that figure has been disputed by several sources who tell Billboard that Deezer’s system has flagged AI-assisted songs as well. In a recent Luminate report, 42% of respondents said they are less interested in listening to songs that they learn were created with generative AI. The RIAA, Universal, Warner and Sony filed lawsuits against AI music companies Suno and Udio in 2024, claiming that AI-generated tracks could compete with songs created by human artists. (UMG and WMG have since settled with Udio, and WMG settled with Suno.)

Deezer began adopting a system to track AI-generated songs in 2025, with Spotify announcing its own system in April that gives artists tools to disclose how they utilized AI via their distributor. Apple Music rolled out its own system in March, requiring “Transparency Tags” from distributors in artwork, track, composition and music video. In June, Tidal announced that it wouldn’t be monetizing AI-generated content, and said that distributor should be the ones held accountable for disclosing how AI was used in a song.

The labels’ lawsuits against Suno and Udio centered on legal issues about AI-generated music models that are trained on copyrighted works without a license, and raised concerns that AI-generated music could push human creators out of work and dilute the royalty pool for human artists. Given that Sony and Universal are still suing Suno (and Sony is still suing Udio), the labels’ proposed provision that the AI generated services used to create music be “properly authorized and lawful” could potentially exclude music using those services from chart eligibility, while the proposed provision that they “comply with applicable laws” is also likely to cause some confusion, given that U.S. courts have largely not weighed in on the legal issues around AI music and copyright as of yet.

Additional reporting by Dan Rys.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Billboard. Open at source →