A recording can use generative AI and still qualify for some official charts—but only if the human contribution remains central.
IFPI has issued a set of principles for the official charts it manages and says it will work with its national groups to extend them across more chart programs.
The framework centers on three tests: the AI service must be authorized and lawful, the recording must be substantially human-made, and its streaming activity must not raise manipulation concerns. Additional requirements include compliance with copyright and personality rights, the tool’s own terms and applicable disclosure standards.
Chart eligibility is becoming a judgment about process, permission and behavior—not just sales.
What remains unresolved
“Substantially human-made” is a meaningful principle but not yet a universal measurement. Different chart bodies will still need procedures for evidence, disputes and edge cases.
What the framework does make clear is direction. Limited, disclosed use of AI may remain compatible with chart recognition. Purely synthetic output, unauthorized systems and manipulated streams will face a much harder route.