More than 1000 British musicians, including Blur frontman Damon Albarn, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Annie Lennox, Kate Bush, The Clash and Jamiroquai, have released a "silent album" in protest of the British government's proposed changes to copyright law. According to the BBC, the artists fear that the new rules will allow artificial intelligence companies to use their works without a license.
- The album, titled "Is This What We Want?", contains 12 tracks lasting more than 47 minutes.
- It features shots of empty studios and concert halls, symbolizing the potential impact of the new legislation on the music industry.
- The album's track list simply conveys the message: "The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies."
- The album is available from the project's website and on Spotify.
- All proceeds from sales of the album will be donated to the Help Musicians charity.
Image: Is this what we want?
Under the UK government's new proposals, AI developers will be able to use content from the Internet to train their models, unless rights holders object. But critics of the plan say it will be almost impossible for artists to track the use of their work across multiple platforms.
The project's organizer, composer Ed Newton-Rex, said the changes would be "disastrous for musicians" and "totally unnecessary," as the UK can develop AI without sacrificing its music industry.
In 2023, the UK music industry contributed a record £7.6 billion (about $9.6 billion or 9.1 billion euros) to the economy.
Last year, more than 200 well-known musicians signed an open letter calling for AI protections in the music industry. The signatories represent a range of music genres and eras, including international stars such as Billy Eilish, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry, rock and roll legends, members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and representatives of the legacies of Frank Sinatra and Bob Marley.
