Australia’s music industry bans AI-generated tracks from official charts

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s recorded music industry says tracks wholly generated by AI will be barred from official charts as burgeoning generative technologies threaten artists’ livelihoods. Australian Record Industry Association announced the crackdown on Tuesday (Aug. 25, 2026) as a variation of Madonna’s pop hit “Like a Prayer,” created by an Australian producer using AI-generated vocals and drums, has spent 16 weeks in the charts. The association said some AI-assisted music will remain eligible as long as “humans wrote the song and performed the lead vocal and the primary instruments,” along other requirements.