Tidal blocks royalties for AI-generated music as streaming platforms draw battle lines

TIDAL cracks down on AI music by cutting off monetization

Music streaming service TIDAL is the latest to take aim at AI-generated music with the introduction of a new policy that will prevent fully AI-generated music from making money on its platform. In addition, TIDAL will use automated tools to remove AI-generated music that attempts to impersonate an artist or a group, the company said. "We are committed to protecting and rewarding organic creativity to avoid compromising an artist's ability to connect with and build their fandom from TIDAL subscribers. Many have told us they do not want to be exposed to -- or prompted to listen to -- wholly AI-generated music," wrote Tony Gervino, TIDAL EVP and Editor-in-Chief, in an announcement. He clarified that TIDAL's new policy was not meant to "bash technological advancement," but rather focuses on protecting and rewarding "organic creativity" from artists. With the changes, fully AI-generated music on TIDAL will be identified and tagged as such, allowing listeners to see an "AI" badge next to any tracks deemed to be 100% AI. These tunes will not be able to be monetized, collect royalties, and will not be eligible for direct-to-fan sales, the company noted. TIDAL's policy joins others in the streaming music space, where services like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and Qobuz have developed their own policies to address the growing number of AI-generated tracks filling their services. Spotify last year revamped its policies to label AI music and better filter spam, while still acknowledging that AI tools would be put to use in the music creation process to varying degrees. Apple Music also took the tagging approach. Deezer, which said that 44% of all new music uploaded to its platform daily is AI-generated, has taken a tougher position. It actively removes AI tracks from recommendations and excludes them from editorial playlists. It also offers its AI detection technology to rivals and provides a consumer-facing tool that lets you see if AI music has slipped into your own playlists on competing services. TIDAL's policy could be an interesting test to see if demonetization could be the thing to slow the deluge of AI music, which many listeners aren't interested in. "Regardless of what you are reading elsewhere, AI's takeover of the music industry (and your recommendations) isn't inevitable if we take even greater steps now to monitor and control it," noted Gervino. The company said the new policy is a "living document," meaning it's open to changes as the space evolves. It goes into effect on July 15, 2026.

Tidal isn't banning AI music, but it won't pay people who upload it - Engadget

The streaming service's new policy says that 100-percent AI-generated music will be demonetized. Tidal revealed its sweeping policy on AI-generated music that details exactly how the music streaming service will handle this growing phenomenon. The music-streaming platform explained on its website that it would demonetize any music that's identified as 100 percent AI-generated. Tidal is still allowing tracks made with AI on its platform, but will slap a tag on anything that's 100 percent AI-generated so its users are aware. "Tidal's priority is ensuring royalties go to original works directly produced, written, and performed by people," the policy read. "We will therefore not knowingly attribute royalties to music we identify as wholly AI-generated." In the future, Tidal said that it would attach the AI-generated tag to anything that's "substantially AI-generated" once AI detection tools get better. For now, Tidal said that it would hold AI content on its platform to "a higher standard of content integrity." More specifically, Tidal said that any AI-generated music that "exploits an individual's or group's music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service" would not be tolerated, along with any fraudulent activity like suspicious streaming or upload activity. According to Tidal's post on X, this new policy will go into effect on July 15. Tidal's latest decision is similar to one of its competitors, who also demonetizes streams of AI-made tracks. Earlier this year, Deezer put out a report that AI-generated songs made up almost half of daily uploads. However, the French streaming platform said it only allows a small percentage of AI-generated music on its platform, with a majority of these streams being demonetized. Even streaming giant Spotify has employed its own way to address the wave of AI-generated music, introducing a "Verified by Spotify" badge that isn't eligible for AI-generated music or personas.

TIDAL will cut off royalties for AI-generated music and badge every track it catches

TIDAL will tag fully AI-generated music with an AI badge, block it from royalties and direct-to-fan sales, and remove AI tracks that impersonate artists. TIDAL is cutting off the money supply for AI-generated music. The streaming service announced a new policy that will prevent fully AI-generated tracks from earning royalties, collecting revenue from direct-to-fan sales, or being monetised in any way on its platform. TIDAL will also use automated tools to identify and remove AI-generated music that attempts to impersonate an artist or group. Under the new rules, tracks that TIDAL identifies as entirely made by AI will receive a visible "AI" badge so listeners know what they are hearing. The company said it expects distributors to flag AI-generated content before it reaches the platform. The policy takes effect on July 15. "We are committed to protecting and rewarding organic creativity to avoid compromising an artist's ability to connect with and build their fandom from TIDAL subscribers," wrote Tony Gervino, TIDAL's EVP and Editor-in-Chief, in the announcement. He added that many subscribers "do not want to be exposed to, or prompted to listen to, wholly AI-generated music." Gervino clarified that the policy is not meant to oppose technological advancement but to protect the revenue streams of human artists. The move places TIDAL alongside Deezer, which has taken the most aggressive stance in the streaming industry against AI-generated tracks. Deezer said in April that 44 percent of all new music uploaded to its platform daily, roughly 75,000 tracks, is fully AI-generated. It actively removes those tracks from recommendations, excludes them from editorial playlists, and offers its detection technology to rival platforms. Spotify updated its own AI policies last September to label tracks containing AI-generated elements and filter spam, while still allowing AI tools in the music creation process. Apple Music introduced transparency tags in March that let labels and distributors disclose when AI played a role in a track's creation. Qobuz has taken a harder line, removing AI-generated content from recommendations and committing to never generate music for its own catalogue. TIDAL's approach differs from all of them in one respect: demonetisation as the primary enforcement mechanism. Rather than simply labelling or hiding AI tracks, TIDAL is targeting the financial incentive that drives the flood of synthetic uploads in the first place. Whether cutting off royalties actually slows the deluge of AI music flooding streaming platforms is the question the policy is designed to answer. Gervino pushed back on the idea that AI's takeover of music is inevitable. "Regardless of what you are reading elsewhere, AI's takeover of the music industry isn't inevitable if we take even greater steps now to monitor and control it," he wrote. The company called the policy a "living document," signalling that the rules will evolve as AI music generation tools and detection capabilities change. TIDAL is smaller than Spotify, Apple Music, or Deezer, but it has positioned itself as an artist-first platform since its founding and has a subscriber base that skews toward listeners who care about audio quality and artist compensation. If demonetisation proves effective at reducing the volume of AI-generated tracks that slip past listeners undetected, larger platforms may follow. If it does not, the industry will need a different answer to a problem that is growing faster than any single platform can solve.

Tidal just drew a line in the sand on AI music -- 100% AI-generated tracks won't earn royalties on the music streaming platform

A tidal wave of wholly AI-generated music? Not on our watch, says the streaming platform * Tidal has published a new policy on AI-generated music content * Along with labelling 100% AI tracks, it targets "substantially generated" stuff too * Tidal "will not tolerate AI-generated music that impersonates an artist or group" Tired of the AI slop in your music -- or tracks your delicate ear perceives to be AI-generated -- in recommended playlists? You're not alone. In a welcome move for recording artists, their parents, their loved ones, and just lovers of original musical works with human vocals, hi-res music streaming giant Tidal has published a comprehensive AI policy with the strapline "Promoting Fairness and Economic Empowerment in the Era of AI-Generated Music". The publication of the policy follows extensive progress in this area from Deezer, with its free AI-detection tool that works on any streaming platform, Bandcamp's strong and concise anti-AI stance set out in January of this year, Apple's March-issue (but somewhat shaky) 'Transparency Tags' which rely on record labels and distributors to tag AI content in Apple Music, and Spotify's... er, Verified by Spotify badge, which certifies that an artist is human, but doesn't help filter out the slop from any generated playlists. Tidal's stance, while not before time, is particularly firm. The company's extensive six-point document was published today (Monday, June 29) and opens with the statement: "Tidal defines AI-generated music as music that is wholly or substantially generated by generative artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are not new to music creation, they have just become more commonplace and advanced. Our policy as it relates to AI-generated music is intended to capture recent developments in -- and the rapid proliferation of -- text-prompted AI music generation." The missive adds that while the streaming platform will accept AI-generated music ("Artists should have the freedom to create with AI tools, and listeners should have the autonomy to choose the type of content they consume"), it will "hold AI-generated content to a higher standard of content integrity". How? By identifying it, tagging it (by mid-July of this year) and crucially, not paying any streaming royalties for it. The tide is turning on text-prompted AI music creation Interestingly, Tidal is seemingly looking to go even further than Deezer here. While the rival platform's anti-AI filter currently works only on 100% AI tracks, Tidal's policy states: "As AI-detection methods become more reliable, we will expand this tag to content that is substantially AI-generated". Bold. The Tidal document adds, "But the responsibility to identify and tag AI-generated content should not rest with Tidal alone. We expect -- and will begin to enforce -- that content distributors identify AI-generated content before it reaches our platform." So, a two-pronged attack on AI? It's a move that can only be seen as a win for musicians and bands. That said, it remains to be seen how effective Tidal's specific anti-AI software will be -- and also, who exactly is helping the company achieve its admirable aims. I asked Tidal whether it had perhaps implemented Deezer's anti-AI tool (which the company made available to rivals back in January and subsequently offered to anyone who wanted to check their playlists for AI tracks regardless of the streaming service) and was told "We're currently working with an external partner to manage detection." So it seems Tidal is keeping its cards very close to its chest regarding how it's going to make good on the policy. Either way, it's a positive step in the fight to keep music and musicians (a)live. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

Tidal lays down the rules for AI music. I wish Spotify and everyone else would follow

Every week, the AI music problem is getting increasingly hard to ignore, especially for streaming platforms. Deezer reported that 44% of all new music uploaded to its platform daily is now AI-generated; that's almost half the songs. Spotify relabeled and tightened its AI policies last September, while Apple Music announced a tagging approach in March. However, the subscription-based artist-first music platform Tidal has done something none of them did. So what exactly is Tidal's new policy? Starting July 15, 2026, Tidal's new AI policy will prevent fully AI-generated music from collecting revenue, earning royalties, or being eligible for direct-to-fan sales. Recommended Videos All 100% AI-generated songs will get a visible "AI" badge, so that listeners are well aware of the source. Further, if listeners don't want to listen to AI-generated content, they'll be able to filter out such content entirely. Among the strictest policies is the removal of music that uses AI to impersonate a real artist. The policy also applies to Tidal Uploads, the platform's direct-to-fan feature. Why does this actually matter more than what other platforms are doing? Tidal is cutting off the financial incentive for AI-generated content; that's different and more radical than what we've seen from other platforms so far. Both Spotify and Apple Music simply tag AI-generated songs, but Tidal ensures it can't earn money on the platform. That distinction matters, as it encourages real artists and their work. As Tidal EVP Tony Gervino put it, "AI's takeover of the music industry isn't inevitable if we take even greater steps now to monitor and control it." Tidal is careful to say this is not about rejecting new technology at all; AI-assisted music by human artists is still welcome. The line it's drawing is between human creativity supported by tools and wholly AI-generated music.