TIDAL cracks down on AI music by cutting off monetization
News Source
β’Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:29:04 +0000
π° What Happened
TIDAL, the music streaming service, announced it will stop letting fully AI-generated music make money on its platform. These tracks will be tagged with an AI badge so listeners can see what they are. They will not earn royalties or qualify for direct-to-fan sales. TIDAL will also remove AI music that tries to copy real artists.
TIDAL's editor-in-chief Tony Gervino said the policy is not against technology. It is about protecting real musicians and their fans. Many TIDAL subscribers said they do not want to be pushed toward fully AI-made music. The company wants to reward organic creativity instead.
TIDAL joins a growing list of streaming services taking action on AI music. Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and Qobuz have all created their own rules. The music industry is struggling to figure out how to handle the flood of AI-generated songs. Some services block them, while others try to label them for listeners.
π The Backstory
AI music generation has grown very quickly. Tools like Suno and Udio can create whole songs from just a text prompt. Anyone can make music that sounds like popular artists without any training. This has caused a flood of AI songs on streaming platforms.
Record labels and artists have raised alarms about AI music. They say it steals the style and sound of real musicians without permission. Some worry that streaming platforms will be filled with cheap AI songs, making it harder for real artists to get heard. Others say AI is just another tool for making music.
The debate over AI music touches on copyright law, artistic value, and how money flows in the music industry. Streaming services are caught in the middle. They want to keep users happy but also need to protect their relationships with record labels and artists. TIDAL's policy is one approach to balancing these interests.
π― Why It Matters
If AI music floods streaming platforms, real artists may struggle to make a living. The music you love could get buried under millions of AI songs. TIDAL's policy helps protect musicians and gives listeners a choice about what they want to hear.
TIDAL, the music streaming service, announced it will stop letting fully AI-generated music make money on its platform. These tracks will be tagged with an AI badge so listeners can see what they are. They will not earn royalties or qualify for direct-to-fan sales. TIDAL will also remove AI music that tries to copy real artists.
TIDAL's editor-in-chief Tony Gervino said the policy is not against technology. It is about protecting real musicians and their fans. Many TIDAL subscribers said they do not want to be pushed toward fully AI-made music. The company wants to reward organic creativity instead.
TIDAL joins a growing list of streaming services taking action on AI music. Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and Qobuz have all created their own rules. The music industry is struggling to figure out how to handle the flood of AI-generated songs. Some services block them, while others try to label them for listeners.
AI music generation has grown very quickly. Tools like Suno and Udio can create whole songs from just a text prompt. Anyone can make music that sounds like popular artists without any training. This has caused a flood of AI songs on streaming platforms.
Record labels and artists have raised alarms about AI music. They say it steals the style and sound of real musicians without permission. Some worry that streaming platforms will be filled with cheap AI songs, making it harder for real artists to get heard. Others say AI is just another tool for making music.
The debate over AI music touches on copyright law, artistic value, and how money flows in the music industry. Streaming services are caught in the middle. They want to keep users happy but also need to protect their relationships with record labels and artists. TIDAL's policy is one approach to balancing these interests.
If AI music floods streaming platforms, real artists may struggle to make a living. The music you love could get buried under millions of AI songs. TIDAL's policy helps protect musicians and gives listeners a choice about what they want to hear.