IFPI Tightens Chart Rules to Block Unlicensed AI Music

Three-Part Test for AI Chart Eligibility

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry has rolled out a new framework designed to regulate which AI-generated music can appear on official charts worldwide. Under the rules, any recording made with generative AI tools must clear three requirements: the AI service must be properly licensed, the track must be substantially human-made, and the release cannot involve stream or chart manipulation.

The framework builds on an earlier industry push for standardized labeling that asks streaming services to distinguish between tracks labeled "AI-Generated" and those labeled "AI-Assisted." Many AI music generators today, like Suno and Udio, have allegedly been trained on copyrighted recordings without permission from the artists or labels involved, a practice that has fueled dozens of lawsuits.

Industry Moves to Protect Artist Revenue

The announcement comes as some AI "artists" are now raking in millions of dollars from streaming on major platforms, and a handful of them are topping charts. After widespread backlash for failing to disclose his use of AI, Australian creator Josh Fawaz recently added Generative AI to the Spotify credits of a track that topped his country's national radio airplay charts.

An estimated $4.6 billion in annual artist revenue could be lost to AI-generated music by 2028, according to a recent economic study conducted by CISAC and PMP Strategy with participation from Deezer.

Rollout Across Global Chart Programs

IFPI also laid out additional requirements covering copyright compliance, personality rights, and consumer labeling so listeners know when AI played a role in a song's creation. The organization plans to apply these principles first to the charts it runs directly across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, then work with its national member groups to extend the rules to more than 20 additional chart programs around the world.

Whether individual streaming platforms and national chart bodies adopt the framework remains to be seen, but the move signals that the recording industry is working to get ahead of AI-generated music before it diverts more royalties away from human artists.