In February, greater than 1,000 artists – together with Kate Bush, Annie Lennox of Eurythmics, and Damon Albarn of Blur and The Gorillaz – launched a “silent album” in protest towards the UK authorities’s proposed adjustments to copyright regulation.
Now the album is being launched on vinyl, with a bonus monitor – a recording of an empty studio – from Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney.
The LP shall be accessible from December 8, with all income from gross sales of the album donated to the charity, Assist Musicians.
The bonus monitor marks McCartney’s newest UK copyright law-related protest. In Could, over 400 artists, together with McCartney, Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and Shirley Bassey, amongst others, signed a letter to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging his authorities to mandate transparency within the coaching of AI, and to create a licensing market for AI builders and copyright holders.
February’s launch of the silent album protesting the UK authorities’s deliberate adjustments to copyright regulation took goal at a proposal that will make it simpler to coach AI fashions on copyrighted work with out a license.
The album, titled Is This What We Need?, featured recordings of empty studios and efficiency areas, which organizers say have been aimed to symbolize the influence on artists’ and music professionals’ livelihoods “if the federal government doesn’t change course”.
The digital launch in February 2025 reached No.38 within the UK album chart. The vinyl is being launched by The state51 Conspiracy.
Based on the press launch saying the brand new vinyl model of the album, underneath the proposals, UK copyright regulation “could be upended to learn world tech giants”.
As reported in February, the federal government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer had proposed a plan designed to make the UK aggressive within the race to develop synthetic intelligence. Based mostly on a 50-point AI Alternatives Motion Plan delivered to Parliament in January, the session proposed – amongst different issues – creating an “opt-out” system for utilizing copyrighted materials to coach AI.
Nonetheless, going through main backlash from the artistic sector, the federal government has mentioned this proposal is not its most well-liked choice and it continues to overview its method.
Monday’s press launch added that underneath the proposal, “AI corporations could be free to make use of an artist’s work to coach their AI fashions with out permission or remuneration. The federal government’s proposed adjustments would require artists to proactively ‘opt-out’ from the theft of their work – reversing the very precept of copyright regulation”.
It added: “‘Choose-out’ fashions are close to unimaginable to implement, have but to be confirmed efficient wherever else on the planet, and place monumental burdens on artists, notably rising expertise.”
“The federal government should decide to not handing the life’s work of the nation’s musicians to AI corporations without spending a dime.”
Ed Newton-Rex
Ed Newton-Rex, the organizer of the album, mentioned: “The federal government should decide to not handing the life’s work of the nation’s musicians to AI corporations without spending a dime.
“Doing so could be massively damaging to our world-leading artistic industries, and is completely pointless, solely benefiting abroad tech giants. It ought to hearken to Paul McCartney and the 1,000 different musicians who took half on this album, and resist calls to legalise music theft from the large tech foyer.”
“When tech corporations foyer governments to offer them songs without spending a dime, it’s not to allow them to treatment illnesses, feed the hungry, or present clear water the place it’s wanted.”
Paul Sanders, The state51 Conspiracy
Paul Sanders, founding father of The state51 Conspiracy, added: “When tech corporations foyer governments to offer them songs without spending a dime, it’s not to allow them to treatment illnesses, feed the hungry, or present clear water the place it’s wanted.
“It’s merely to allow them to make tens of millions of pretend songs and preserve all of the income for themselves. As an organization with a lifelong dedication to musicians The state51 Conspiracy was honoured to be requested to assist get this message out on vinyl. All income go to Assist Musicians, which is what our legislators must be doing as a substitute of sucking as much as tech bros.”Music Enterprise Worldwide
