More than 1,000 British musicians, including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, and Annie Lennox, have released a silent album to protest the UK government’s proposed changes to copyright laws. The album, titled “Is This What We Want?”, features 12 tracks of empty studios and performance spaces, symbolizing the potential impact on artists’ livelihoods if AI companies are allowed to use copyrighted works without permission.
The protest comes as the UK government considers introducing a copyright exemption that would permit artificial intelligence companies to train their algorithms on creative works without obtaining licenses from the original creators. Although the proposal includes an “opt-out” option, critics have dismissed it as unfair and unworkable.
The message behind the silence
The track listing of the album deliberately spells out the message: “The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies.” While individual artists behind each track remain uncredited, it’s understood that Kate Bush recorded one of the silent tracks in her studio.
Bush expressed her concern with the statement: “In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?”
The album’s concept was developed by Ed Newton-Rex, a British composer and former AI executive, who argues that the government’s proposal would effectively “hand the life’s work of the country’s musicians to AI companies, for free.”
Growing celebrity opposition
The silent album is part of a broader pushback against the proposed copyright changes. Other notable figures who have spoken out include:
- Paul McCartney
- Elton John
- Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA
- Actor Julianne Moore
- Authors Val McDermid and Richard Osman
A letter published in The Times signed by 34 leading creative figures, including Ed Sheeran, Stephen Fry, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, warned that the proposals “represent a wholesale giveaway of rights and income from the UK’s creative sectors to Big Tech.”
The album’s release coincides with the closing of a government consultation on the proposed copyright changes. All profits from the album, which is available on streaming services including Spotify, will be donated to Help Musicians, a charity supporting musicians.
The UK government has defended its position, stating that the current copyright regime is “holding back the creative industries, media and AI sector from realizing their full potential” and that they are seeking a solution that allows both AI developers and rights holders to thrive.
Sources: The Guardian, Consequence Sound