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When the Robots Take the Stage: Is AI-Generated Music Creeping Into Australian Airwaves?
- Aussie Wave
- Sep 26
- 3 min read
By Michael Spencer
Australian music has always been defined by its storytellers — artists who pour lived experience, grit, and heart into every song. But in 2025, a new challenge is quietly creeping onto playlists: AI-generated music.
This week, while browsing AMRAP’s catalogue (a platform that does an incredible job servicing new Australian releases to radio) we noticed a handful of tracks that raise eyebrows. To our ears, some of these songs sound entirely machine-made. One example, Las Vegas Lover by Ford Frances Kennedy. Another, DJ AI, openly leans into the gimmick, branding itself as a “funk-glitch robot dance party starter” and tongue-in-cheek ode to artificial intelligence.
On their own, these tracks might feel like novelty or satire. But what happens when an AI-generated release lands on music charts or key playlists? That’s no longer fringe — it’s frontline.
Can We Really Tell?
The first question many listeners ask: is there a way to know for sure if a song is fully AI-generated?
The truth is: not always. Some AI tools can replicate human voices, generate convincing lyrics, and even simulate the quirks of live instrumentation. Unless creators admit to it, or listeners catch small tells (robotic phrasing, odd vocal tones, or overly “perfect” timing), proof can be slippery. I used to be able to hear certain sonic artifacts in AI generated music, that for me was a giveaway, now with AI technology exceptionally evolving there is no way to tell for certain.
This blurring line raises deeper questions: should the industry introduce watermarking? Do we need transparency rules so radio stations and streaming platforms know what they’re actually broadcasting?
The CMAA Fires Back
The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) has already drawn its line in the sand. Just last week, after discovering several AI-generated entries submitted to the 2026 Golden Guitar Awards, the board announced a strict new rule:
"Only human creators are eligible. Any work without human authorship is ineligible in all categories."
CMAA Chairman Dobe Newton put it plainly:
“The use of AI to generate musical works is fundamentally at odds with the heritage and intent of our Awards… While we welcome technology that supports and enhances creativity, we are resolute that it must never replace human artistry.”
It’s a powerful stance — and one that protects not just heritage, but livelihoods. Industry forecasts suggest AI disruption could strip more than half a billion dollars from Australia’s music economy by 2028.
What’s at Stake for Musicians
If AI tracks can be pumped out in minutes — and pushed onto playlists, charts, and radio rotations — what happens to the working songwriter, the producer in their home studio, the working musician earning their keep on stage?
The risks are real. At its worst, this could sideline the very voices that make Australian music unique.
Naming Names — or Asking Questions?
Aussie Wave isn’t here to “name and shame.” But when tracks like Las Vegas Lover or DJ AI surface, we think it’s fair to ask: who (or what) is really making this music?
Another figure in the mix is Oz Harte, who describes himself as a producer. On social media, he proudly shares:
“Most of my latest music has been accepted by AMRAP for Australian Community Radio Stations. Thank you ❤️🔥”
Harte has also been entering award circuits, writing:
“Please vote for Oz Harte in SA Music Awards” — and even cracked the Top 150.
More recently, he celebrated unexpected radio recognition:
“We love pleasant surprises and this was unexpected: ‘Song of the Week – Random Worlds.’ Without doubt my most beautiful lyrics and melody.” [@5thefm.org]
All of this raises legitimate questions: If AI-generated tracks are being accepted, played, and even celebrated on community radio and awards platforms, where does that leave the working songwriters and musicians who have spent a lifetime honing their craft?
The Road Ahead
The CMAA has set a precedent in the country music space, but what about other genres — from pop to electronic to hip hop? Without clear rules and transparency, AI-generated music could quickly flood the system.
The challenge now falls to radio programmers, award bodies, streaming services and the wider Australian music community: how do we protect human creativity while navigating new technology?
Have Your Say 🎶
What do you think? Should AI have a place in Aussie music, or should it be kept firmly at the edges? Drop a comment on our latest facebook post
