Artists, songwriters demand greater say in AI licensing deals

The open letter, published on 22 June and coordinated by the European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA), argues that artists and songwriters are not being adequately consulted as record companies and publishers negotiate AI-related deals that could have long-term implications for the music industry.

Signatories include the Songwriters of North America, the Music Artists Coalition, the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, the Artist Rights Alliance, the Black Music Action Coalition and the Featured Artists Coalition.

The letter states that record labels and publishers are increasingly entering into agreements with AI companies, yet the creators whose works, voices, performances and likenesses form the basis of those deals are often excluded from negotiations.

“Across the global music industry, record companies and publishers are negotiating AI deals that could shape the future of music,” the letter states. “Yet the artists and songwriters whose works, voices, performances, likenesses and creative identities make those deals valuable are not being meaningfully consulted.”

The coalition claims that artists and songwriters with existing recording and publishing contracts are being informed that they will automatically be included in AI-related uses of their work unless they actively opt out. It also alleges that AI rights clauses are increasingly appearing as standard provisions in new contracts.

According to the organisations, creators retain many of the rights involved in AI licensing discussions, including moral rights, neighbouring rights, image rights and personality rights. The letter argues that these rights should not be licensed without clear consent and accountability.

The letter was published amid growing debate over how AI companies access and use copyrighted music. It follows legal action by the American Federation of Musicians against Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group earlier this month. The union alleges that recordings by its members were licensed to AI companies without appropriate compensation or credit for the musicians involved.

In 2025, Universal Music Group reached a licensing agreement and legal settlement with AI music platform Udio, while Warner Music Group concluded separate agreements with both Udio and Suno.

The coalition acknowledged that AI could create opportunities for the music sector but warned that innovation should not come at the expense of creators’ rights.

The letter outlines three principles it believes should govern future AI agreements: consent and control, fair compensation, and transparency. It argues that creators should not be enrolled in AI licensing arrangements through default opt-in mechanisms and should be free to refuse participation without facing penalties. It also calls for clear disclosure of how revenues from AI deals are distributed among creators, labels and technology companies.

Responding to the letter, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said music companies were already working to protect artists and songwriters in the AI era.

“Music companies are leading the fight to protect artists’ and songwriters’ rights in the age of AI,” an IFPI spokesperson said.

“While our members have taken different approaches, they share the same fundamental objectives: combating the unauthorised use of music and establishing licensing models that return revenue to artists and songwriters.”

The spokesperson added that record companies had pursued legal action against infringing AI firms, advocated for legislative reforms and developed licensing frameworks designed to compensate rights holders.

However, music managers and creator organisations maintain that labels and publishers should not negotiate rights that belong directly to artists and songwriters without their involvement.

EMMA Executive Director Jess Partridge said the letter reflected growing concern over what she described as the “misappropriation and landgrab” of artist and songwriter rights.

“Across the board, we are seeing major music companies acting unilaterally by agreeing global AI licensing agreements without entering into negotiations or requesting consent from the creative talent they work with,” Partridge said.

“This is no way to build a viable, artist-centric music sector. It also risks repeating the mistakes of the past.”

Annabella Coldrick, chief executive of the Music Managers Forum, said creators and managers had consistently supported the principle that AI systems should not be trained on copyrighted works without permission.

“With this open letter, we are simply requesting the same courtesy from our label and publisher partners,” Coldrick said. “These rights are not yours to sell.”

Similarly, Roberto Neri, chief executive of The Ivors Academy, said creators should not be required to surrender rights without authorisation and transparency.

“AI in music must be built on respect for creators’ rights, not on default opt-ins or terms imposed without genuine choice,” Neri said.

Ron Gubitz of the Music Artists Coalition said the industry had an opportunity to develop AI licensing frameworks collaboratively.

“Music is made by artists: songwriters, musicians, performers. The rights belong to those creators,” Gubitz said.

“The music business is at a moment where it can build this properly, together. But that means genuine partnership with the people who make the music.”

The letter concludes by urging labels, publishers and AI companies to commit publicly to avoiding default opt-ins, rejecting mandatory AI clauses in contracts and ensuring that artists’ works, voices, performances and likenesses are not used without meaningful consent, fair remuneration and full transparency.

You can read the letter in full below:

Artists And Songwriters Must Not Be Pressured Into AI Deals Without Meaningful Consent

Monday, 22 June 2026

Across the global music industry, record companies and publishers are negotiating AI deals that could shape the future of music.

Yet the artists and songwriters whose works, voices, performances, likenesses and creative identities make those deals valuable are not being meaningfully consulted.

Artists and songwriters remain the primary holders of many of the rights at stake, including moral, neighbouring, image and personality rights.

These rights are not label or publishers assets to be licensed without clear authority, consent and accountability.

This means that artists and songwriters should be (where applicable, through their managers) the primary parties approached by AI companies to discuss such rights.

We are increasingly concerned that artists and songwriters in existing recording and publishing agreements are receiving letters from major labels and publishers informing them that they will be opted in to AI-related uses by default, with little actual choice offered. At the same time, artists and songwriters signing new agreements are being presented with AI rights clauses as a standard condition of signing.

The result is a serious imbalance: artists and songwriters are being asked to give permission without sufficient information, clear terms or guaranteed remuneration.

We support innovation and recognise that AI can create new opportunities for music. However artists are not simply catalogue assets, and innovation cannot be used to override artists’ rights.

We therefore call on record companies, publishers, policy makers, AI companies, digital platforms and all industry partners to respect and consider three core principles:

Consent & Control

Artists and songwriters must actively and specifically consent before their works, voice, performance, likeness or creative identity is used in connection with AI. There must be clarity around what they are being asked to approve, and they must have control over how it will be used. It cannot be buried in broad catch-all contract language or include rights in perpetuity. Consent cannot be imposed through default opt-ins and it should not be a condition of signing a new deal. Artists and songwriters must be able to say no without fear of penalisation.

Fair Compensation

Where artists and songwriters choose to participate in AI-related uses, they must receive fair and meaningful remuneration. They must share in the value created by their works, and it cannot be considered a general label asset. Artists and songwriters must be consulted and it must be clear which percentage of revenue goes to the creator, to the label and to the AI company.

Clarity & Transparency

Requests must be purpose-specific. Artists, songwriters and managers must be given clear, timely and understandable information about any AI-related deal or proposal affecting their rights in order to make informed decisions. The information must encompass which rights it includes, what uses are permitted, the safeguards in place, duration of permission and how consent can be withdrawn.

We call on all companies entering into AI music deals to make a clear and public commitment:

• No default opt-ins.
• No forced AI clauses.
• No use of artists’ work, voice, performance, likeness or creative identity without meaningful consent, fair remuneration and full transparency.
• At a time when policymakers are reviewing copyright rules in response to AI, the protection of artists’ and songwriters’ rights, voices and remuneration is not negotiable. The structures being created now will shape the music ecosystem for years to come. The future of music must be built with artists, songwriters and their representatives, not imposed on them

Signed,

• European Music Managers Alliance
• European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA)
• Music Artists Coalition (USA)
• SONA – Songwriters of North America (USA)
• NITO – National Independent Talent Organisation (USA)
• IAO – International Artists Organisation
• Artists Rights Alliance (USA)
• Black Music Action Coalition (USA)
• Association of Artist Managers (Australia)
• Music Managers Forum Aotearoa (New Zealand)
• Music Managers Forum Canada
• Featured Artists Coalition (UK)
• The Ivors Academy (UK)
• EMMA members who have signed also directly:
• Music Managers Forum UK
• UMAN – Union des Manageuses et Managers de la musique (France) Music Managers Forum Netherlands
• NEMAA – Norwegian Entertainment Managers and Agents Association IGMAP – Polish Artists Chamber of Commerce.
• IMUC – Interessenverband Musikmanager & Consultants (Germany) Music Managers Forum Sweden
• AIM Ireland
• MMaF – Music Managers Federation (Flanders, Belgium) Music Managers Forum Finland
• ZEME – Hungarian Managers Forum (Zenei Menedzserek Egyesülete) Music Estonia Managers
• Danske Artist Managers
• Music Managers Forum Ukraine
• Music Managers Forum Iceland
• Music Managers Forum Suisse
• FORMA – Foro de Mánagers (Spain)
• Fédération des Bookers et Managers Unies (Wallonia, Belgium)