Musicians release silent album to protest UK AI copyright proposals

The protest, aimed at the government's controversial proposals to change copyright laws, highlights concerns that AI developers would be able to mine creators' work to help develop their models unless rights holders "opt out."

The silent album, featuring the sounds of empty studios and performance spaces, is designed to be a symbol of the impact these changes could have on musicians' livelihoods.

The tracklist boldly spells out: "The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies."

Backing the release are notable artists like Billy Ocean, Ed O’Brien from Radiohead, and Bastille’s Dan Smith. All profits from the album will go to the charity Help Musicians.

Kate Bush, one of the leading voices in the protest, expressed her concerns, saying: "In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?" She and other artists worry that the law changes could undermine the value of creators' work, leaving them unable to track or prevent its use by AI.

The UK government's consultation on the proposals ends Tuesday (25 February). Critics argue that the system could disadvantage artists, especially emerging ones, by making it impractical to monitor or control how their content is used online.

Composer Max Richter, another artist involved in the album, highlighted that the proposed plans would not only affect musicians but also "impoverish creators" across all fields.

Ed Newton-Rex, who organised the silent album release, called the proposals “totally unnecessary,” stressing that the UK can lead in AI innovation without jeopardising its creative industries. 

“The government’s proposal would hand the life’s work of the country’s musicians to AI companies, for free, letting those companies exploit musicians’ work to outcompete them,” he said in a statement on the album release. “It is a plan that would not only be disastrous for musicians, but that is totally unnecessary: the UK can be leaders in AI without throwing our world-leading creative industries under the bus. This album shows that, however the government tries to justify it, musicians themselves are united in their thorough condemnation of this ill-thought-through plan.”

Industry body UK Music said in its most recent report that the music U.K. scene contributed £7.6 billion (€9.16 billion) to the country’s economy, underscoring the importance of protecting these sectors from potential exploitation.

The full list of musicians taking part can be viewed at Is This What We Want?’s official website.