A coalition of 29 organizations representing artists, songwriters, and music managers issued an open letter calling on record labels and publishers to respect creator rights in music industry AI licensing agreements. The signatories, coordinated by the European Music Managers Alliance on June 24, 2026, warn that major music companies are making deals without proper consultation with the talent whose work is being licensed.
According to the statement, artists and songwriters have received letters from major labels and publishers informing them that their work has already been included in music industry AI licensing agreements. In cases where consent is being sought, it is often limited to voice usage rather than the ingestion of music itself to create AI works.
The letter also claims that artists signing new deals are being forced to surrender moral, image, and personality rights without negotiation.
How Many Deals Have Been Made
The warning comes as AI licensing intensifies across the creative sectors. According to WPI Economics, 274 commercial deals have been struck between AI developers and creative industries as of 2026.
High-profile agreements with platforms such as Suno, Udio, and Spotify have already been finalized. The American Federation of Musicians has recently begun legal action against Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group over their moves to settle lawsuits without compensating musicians.
What the Coalition Demands From Labels
The letter sets out three core principles that the coalition says must be respected in all music industry AI deals: consent and control, fair compensation, and clarity and transparency. The organizations are demanding that artists and songwriters have the right to refuse the use of their music in AI systems.
Revenue splits must be clearly defined, and clear information must be provided in advance of any AI-related agreement. Jess Partridge, Executive Director of EMMA, said major music companies are acting unilaterally by agreeing global AI licensing agreements without entering into negotiations or requesting consent from the creative talent they work with.
Partridge added that this approach risks repeating the mistakes of the past. Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said songwriters must not be expected to sign away their rights without proper authorization, fair remuneration, and full transparency.
He stated that this means having a meaningful say in how their work is used, clear information about the deals being proposed, the ability to give or withhold consent, and a fair share of the value created.
Who Is Pushing Back
The signatories include organizations from across Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, representing managers, songwriters, and artists. The coalition argues that labels and publishers are trading rights that do not belong to them.
Ron Gubitz, Executive Director of the Music Artists Coalition, said music is made by artists: songwriters, musicians, and performers. The rights belong to those creators, he stated.
Gubitz added that the music business is at a moment where it can build this properly, together, but that means genuine partnership with the people who make the music. David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition, described the current moment as pivotal for the music business.
Martin said that if the industry takes a collegiate approach, it can capitalize on the opportunities of AI. But that approach has to be based on explicit creator consent, he stated, adding that artists must control how their rights are being used and whether they even want to license those rights in the first place.
The coalition’s intervention reflects growing tension between music industry AI development and the creators whose catalog is essential to training those systems.
