TIDAL Bars 100% AI Music From Royalties, Tags Tracks From July 15
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jun 29
TIDAL Bars 100% AI Music From Royalties, Tags Tracks From July 15
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jun 29
Summary
July 15 is the start date for TIDAL’s new policy that blocks fully AI-generated tracks from royalties, monetization and direct-to-fan sales while marking them with an “AI” badge.
Automated detection tools will also remove AI-generated music that impersonates an artist or group, extending the policy beyond labeling to fraud prevention.
TIDAL said the move is meant to protect “organic creativity” and respond to listeners who do not want wholly AI-generated music pushed into recommendations.
The policy places TIDAL alongside Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Qobuz, though Deezer has gone further by saying 44% of daily new uploads are AI-generated and excluding such tracks from recommendations and playlists.
TIDAL called the rules a “living document,” signaling more changes as streaming services test whether demonetization can slow the flood of AI music.
TIDAL bans AI music profits while Spotify embraces them. Who is on the right side of music history?
With AI music's heavy carbon footprint, is 'organic creativity' the key to a greener music industry?
TIDAL to Bar 100% AI-Generated Music from Royalties by July 2026: How Streaming Platforms Are Fighting the AI Music Flood
Overview
TIDAL is introducing a major policy change effective July 15, 2026, that will ban fully AI-generated music from earning royalties or being sold directly to fans. Tracks identified as 100% AI-generated will be clearly labeled with an 'AI' tag, and content distributors are required to identify such content before it reaches TIDAL. This ensures only properly categorized music enters the platform, keeping fully AI-created works out of royalty and sales systems. TIDAL’s policy is described as a 'living document,' allowing for future updates as the music industry and AI technology continue to evolve.