EntertainmentIt became one of the most played tracks on Australian radio last month. But now, a cover of Madonna’s hit Like a Prayer stands to be banned from official charts, thanks to new rules set by the country’s music industry.With over 48M Spotify streams, Aussie DJ's cover of Like a Prayer now faces chart banKayla McLean · CBC News · Posted: Aug 25, 2026 2:12 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Madonna is seen performing during the Rebel Heart world tour in Macau, China, on Feb. 20, 2016. (Kin Cheung/The Associated Press)It became one of the most-played tracks on Australian radio last month.But now, a cover of Madonna’s hit Like a Prayer stands to be banned from official charts, thanks to new rules set by the Australian music industry. On Tuesday, the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA), which oversees the country’s official music charts, announced it will now bar tracks that are wholly generated by artificial intelligence.In a statement to CBC News, ARIA spokesperson Andrew Knowles said the association ruled that the recordings must be "substantially human-made" in order to qualify for the ARIA charts.Canadian music industry leaders ask government for copyright protections against AI However, tracks where "generative AI has produced the creative elements of a track or a primary part of them" will not be eligible."The clearest example of that is a lead vocal or instrument that came from a prompt rather than a person," added Knowles. "Where a human performance sits at the centre of the recording and AI has been used in a minor way on top of it, the recording remains eligible." ARIA says it will also have the right to remove recordings that have raised concerns about stream or chart manipulation, adding that the tracks must comply with "applicable laws, including those relating to copyright and related rights." Tracks produced by generative AI will also be ineligible for the country’s esteemed ARIA Awards."These changes reflect our intent to remain dynamic and promote the human nature of artistry in what is — to say the least — a rapidly developing space," said ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd in a statement."The ARIA charts will always remain a transparent measurement of the music Australia consumes, but a chart that rewards unlicensed AI output would undercut the very basis of the recorded music we exist to represent," she added.WATCH | Josh Fawaz - Like a Prayer (official lyric video) :The crackdown comes after Brisbane DJ and producer Josh Fawaz’s version of Like a Prayer —which uses AI-generated vocals and drums — spent 16 weeks on ARIA’s Top 20 Australian Singles chart.The controversial single, which peaked at No. 2 on the chart back in May and still held the fourth-place spot as of Tuesday, has stirred up intense debate and criticism over the use of generative AI.Music producer Mitch Thomas was among those slamming the artist online, calling Fawaz "the biggest issue in music right now" and alleging that Fawaz's music was "generated entirely with AI." He suggested Fawaz’s music sounded like it was produced using the gen AI platform Suno.WATCH | AI in the music industry | Cost of Living :Fawaz snapped back in the comments of Thomas’s video, telling him to "stop having a little sook" — Australian slang for sulking — adding that he only uses AI "as a tool, it’s not that deep."As for when the new rules are set to come into effect, wholly AI-generated tracks will be banned and stripped from the ARIA charts starting next Monday. However, some AI-assisted music will remain eligible, according to a statement released to the Associated Press.ARIA confirmed to CBC News that Fawaz’s cover of Like a Prayer did not meet the eligibility requirements "based on information provided by the artist."ABOUT THE AUTHORKayla McLean is a web journalist with CBC News in Toronto. She grew up in Brampton, Ont., and received her bachelor of arts in media production at Toronto Metropolitan University. Before joining CBC in 2024, she worked as a breaking news reporter at Global News Toronto — covering everything from crime, sports, festivals and politics. She also reported for Global News's current affairs show, The New Reality, covering stories with a focus on racial equality and climate justice. She also previously held positions as a chase producer and writer for CTV News Channel.with files from The Associated Press