The UK government’s proposed changes to copyright law, allowing AI companies to train their models using copyrighted work without a license, has created a furor in the British music industry and elsewhere.
To protest the proposed changes, more than 1,000 artists, including big names like Damon Albarn, Kate Bush, and Annie Lennox have released a silent album titled Is This What We Want?
The project contains recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, which represent the “impact we expect the government’s proposals would have on musicians’ livelihoods.” It consists of 12 tracks, which spell out a message that reads, “The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies.”
The official description reads:
In late 2024, the UK government proposed changing copyright law to allow artificial intelligence companies to build their products using other people’s copyrighted work – music, artworks, text, and more – without a licence.
The musicians on this album came together to protest this. The album consists of recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, representing the impact we expect the government’s proposals would have on musicians’ livelihoods.
Other artists credited on the silent album include Ed O’Brien of Radiohead, The Clash, Tori Amos, Hans Zimmer, Pet Shop Boys, Jamiroquai, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens. All proceeds are being donated to the UK charity Help Musicians.
