1,000 Artists Drop Silent Album to Protest AI Copyright Threat
Artificial Intelligence
2-minute read
On February 25, 2025, a protest involving over 1,000 musicians shook the UK music scene. They collaborated to release an album titled "Is This What We Want?" to oppose the government's proposed AI copyright law reform. Unlike traditional albums, this work uses "silence" as its weapon. The album features sounds from empty studios and performance spaces, with no melody, only white noise, aiming to convey the potential silence and stagnation the UK music industry might face if the policy is implemented.
This movement has garnered support from many renowned musicians, including film score maestro Hans Zimmer, avant-garde British singer Kate Bush, electronic rock pioneers New Order, British punk rock legends The Clash, and Blur frontman and Gorillaz founder Damon Albarn. Their involvement has brought international attention to the protest, highlighting the intersection of UK AI and music.
The Controversy Over UK AI Copyright Reform
The core of this protest is dissatisfaction with the UK government's copyright law amendment proposed at the end of 2024. According to the proposal, AI companies could use copyrighted content for model training without authorization unless creators opt out. The government claims this reform will boost AI innovation, keeping the UK at the forefront of global tech competition. However, musicians and creatives worry that such a policy could undermine creators' control over their work, turning their hard work into free resources for AI music generation.
Critics argue that the opt-out mechanism is impractical for creators, as registering to protect their rights would be a cumbersome and difficult process. If the bill passes, most creators' works could be used extensively without permission, potentially eroding the foundation of the entire creative industry.
Newton-Rex: From AI Entrepreneur to Advocate
The protest album's initiator, Ed Newton-Rex, is a composer with a classical music background and a tech entrepreneur. In 2012, he founded the AI music generation platform Jukedeck, which was later acquired by TikTok. He then joined Stability AI as the head of the audio department, continuing to promote the integration of AI and music creation.
However, disappointed by the industry's response to copyright protection issues, he decided to leave the company and advocate for creators' rights, actively pushing AI companies to comply with copyright regulations when training models. Alongside launching this protest, he also initiated a petition against the UK government's copyright reform plan. To date, over 47,000 creative industry professionals have signed, expressing support for creative freedom and rights protection.
A Future We Don't Want
The protest album "Is This What We Want?" brings together thousands of musicians, using silence as the most powerful protest. The 12 tracks on the album form a clear and direct message of protest:
“The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies.”
As of February 25, the UK government's public consultation on this bill has ended, and the future policy direction remains uncertain. Besides conveying a message, all proceeds from the album will be donated to the charity Help Musicians, supporting affected music creators and helping them continue creating in a turbulent environment. Currently, "Is This What We Want?" is available on Spotify, allowing listeners to participate in this protest by streaming the album, thus engaging with the ongoing dialogue about UK AI and music copyrights.
