It’s the weekly headline roundup!
This week we’re looking at the latest global streaming numbers, proposed chart eligibility rules for AI music, a new Luminate consumer study, and more.
Major Record Labels Call to Disqualify AI Slop Songs From Global Charts
A coalition of nearly a dozen of the biggest record companies in the music business — including the “big three” of Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group — are calling for global music charts to adopt policies that would disqualify many AI slop tracks from consideration.
– Ethan Millman, The Hollywood Reporter
US Musicians’ Union Files Amended Lawsuit Against Universal and Warner Over Suno and Udio AI Deals
The American Federation of Musicians has filed an amended complaint in its lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, accusing the majors of breaching their union contract by failing to pay musicians for recordings licensed to AI companies Suno and Udio.
– Murray Stassen, Music Business Worldwide
The union alleges that Universal and Warner licensed recordings made by its members to the two AI companies “without compensation or credit.”
Global on-demand music streams up 9.8% in first half of 2026
Fellow stat-nerds, assemble! Luminate’s mid-year report is out, with all manner of figures on music (not to mention TV and film) in the first half of 2026.
– Stuart Dredge, Music Ally
It’s the first time the three sectors have been combined in one report. “That’s because the music industry wants a clearer read on streaming television and theatrical performance,” wrote CEO Rob Jonas in his introduction. “Film and TV companies are asking for the reverse.”
Majors, Believe, BMG, Concord, Hybe, and more Propose Chart Eligibility Rules for AI Music
A coalition of music companies, including all three majors and a group of prominent independents, has proposed a set of principles to govern the eligibility of recordings developed with generative AI for inclusion in music charts.
– Murray Stassen, Music Business Worldwide
The companies behind the initiative include Believe, BMG, Concord, Dirty Hit, Glassnote Records, HYBE Corp., Mom+Pop Music, Partisan Records, Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group.
Only humans can be ‘authors’ say Canadian music publishers in test case on copyright status of AI-generated works
Music Publishers Canada has formally intervened in a legal battle in the Canadian courts that asks whether AI-generated works are protected by copyright, and also whether an AI tool can be classified as an ‘author’ of any one work, possibly alongside any human creators who utilised the AI tool.
– Chris Cooke, Complete Music Update
The case involves an artwork called ‘Suryast’, which was created by Ankit Sahni using an AI tool called RAGHAV. However, despite it centering on the copyright in a visual work, MPC notes that the outcome of this case “is likely to have a significant impact on how Canadian law determines whether a musical work created with the assistance of generative AI tools is eligible for copyright protection”.
US consumers are ‘more wary than willing’ to engage with AI in entertainment content, Luminate study finds
US consumers are “more wary than willing” to engage with entertainment content created using generative AI, according to a new study from Luminate.
– Murray Stassen, Music Business Worldwide
That finding comes from AI & Media: Audience Attitudes, a report from Luminate Intelligence published on Friday (July 24).
The report draws on Luminate’s US Entertainment 365 survey to assess consumers’ own use of generative AI applications, and how its use in creating songs, movies and TV shows affects their willingness to engage.