Paul McCartney and Leading Artists Release Silent Track in Protest Against UK Copyright Reforms

Renowned musician Paul McCartney is set to release a silent music track next month as part of an ongoing protest against proposed changes to UK copyright legislation that would grant exemptions to technology companies. This project, which features contributions from prominent artists like Hans Zimmer and Kate Bush, aims to spotlight the risks artificial intelligence poses to creative industries.

McCartney's piece, titled "Bonus Track," is a two-minute and 45-second recording of an empty studio interspersed with a series of clicks. It is part of the album "Is This What We Want?", a collective effort by over 1,000 artists including Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Jamiroquai. The album was first released in February and has only had 1,000 vinyl copies pressed.

The artists behind the project issued a statement emphasizing their concern: "These controversial government proposals threaten artists' livelihoods by allowing AI companies to train models on copyrighted material without obtaining a license or providing compensation. This effectively upends UK copyright law to benefit global tech giants."

They warned that the proposed legislation would force artists to opt out proactively to protect their work, reversing established copyright protections. In May, more than 400 writers and musicians, including McCartney, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, and Sting, along with acclaimed authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Michael Morpurgo, signed an open letter condemning the reforms as an "outright giveaway" to Silicon Valley.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged the need to strike a balance between copyright and AI development, describing AI as "a huge opportunity." However, Elton John urged the government to reconsider, saying, "They have no right to sell us down the river," and calling on Starmer to "wise up" and "see sense."

A recent UK Music study revealed that two-thirds of artists and producers fear AI threatens their careers. Over 90% of those surveyed demand protections for their image and voice and advocate for AI firms to pay for using their creative content.