The CEO of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr., has clarified that an AI-generated Drake song is not eligible for a Grammy award nomination due to copyright and legal issues.



Grammy CEO Sets the Record Straight: AI-Generated Drake Song Is Ineligible for Award


Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, which hosts the annual Grammy Music Awards, has addressed misconceptions regarding the eligibility of an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated Drake song for a Grammy nomination. In a video statement released on September 8, Mason clarified that the track is "not eligible for Grammy consideration."


He emphasized that although the song was created by a human, the vocals were not legally obtained or cleared by the label or the artist, and the song is not commercially available. This lack of compliance with Grammy award criteria renders it ineligible for consideration.


While music featuring AI elements can potentially be nominated for Grammy awards, it must meet specific requirements, most notably that the part of the music being nominated must have been created by a human. For instance, vocal performances must be performed by a human artist.


Mason reiterated that the Recording Academy's role is to support, advocate for, protect, and represent human artists and creators in the music industry.


Another essential criterion for Grammy eligibility is commercial availability, which includes being accessible on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. However, the AI-generated Drake song in question was removed from these platforms due to copyright violations and the absence of approval from the artist and label.


Record labels have been actively urging streaming platforms to take action against AI-generated content that infringes on artists' intellectual property. In April, Universal Music Group (UMG) called on streaming services, including Spotify, to remove AI-generated content.


UMG and Google have also recently announced a collaboration aimed at combating AI deep fakes. They are in negotiations to license melodies and vocal tracks for use in AI-generated music, further addressing the challenges posed by AI in the music industry.


(SAVANNAH FORTIS, CoinTelegraph, 2023)