More than 1,000 artists and musicians including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Sam Fender and Annie Lennox have recorded a silent album in protest at proposed changes to copyright law, which they say could lead to artists being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).
Is This What We Want? also involves artists including Billy Ocean, Tom Grennan, New Order, Simon Le Bon, Tori Amos, Pet Shop Boys, The Clash, Bashy, Jamiroquai and Imogen Heap – along with a range of composers, conductors and organisations such as Hans Zimmer, and the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
It features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces – which artists say could become a reality for musicians in the UK if the changes go ahead.
The track listing spells out the message: “The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies.”
Under the government’s plans, an exemption to copyright would be created for training AI, so tech firms would not need a licence to use copyrighted material – and creators would need to opt out to prevent their work from being used.
A consultation on the issue closes today.
Imogen Heap at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in January 2020. Pic: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Sir Elton John and Simon Cowell have also backed a campaign opposing the proposals, and Sir Paul McCartney has spoken out against them.
The new plans fail to reimburse artists for AI recreating and copying their work, stifle creativity, and the proposed opt-out scheme places an unnecessary burden on artists, critics say.
All profits from the silent album will be donated to the musicians’ charity, Help Musicians.
Read more:
‘Regulate it before we’re all finished’
Why the UK didn’t sign up to global AI agreement
