Canadian Publishers Challenge AI Authorship, GEMA Launches Cleared AI Dataset, AM/FM Radio Still Leads Ad-Supported Audio

How The Music Business Works - Issue #72

July 30, 2026

Welcome back to How the Music Business Works.

This week’s issue opens with two different sides of the AI copyright debate. In Canada, music publishers are arguing that only humans can be authors under copyright law, while GEMA has launched a fully cleared music dataset designed for AI training.

We’re also looking at how older and newer listening models are performing side by side. A new Edison report says AM/FM radio still dominates ad-supported audio time in the US, while India’s paid music streaming market could roughly double by 2028.

The issue closes with a UK education-policy story, as music and arts groups push the revamped government to go further on restoring creative subjects in schools.

Here’s what’s worth watching this week.

Canadian music publishers say only humans can be authors

Music Publishers Canada has formally intervened in a Canadian court case testing whether AI-generated works can be protected by copyright and whether an AI tool can be listed as an author. The case centers on “Suryast,” an artwork created by Ankit Sahni using the AI tool RAGHAV, but MPC says the ruling could affect how Canadian law treats musical works created with generative AI. The organization argues that only humans can be authors for copyright purposes, although works made by humans with AI assistance may still qualify for protection in some circumstances. MPC says courts should assess the human creator’s skill and judgment case by case rather than applying a one-size-fits-all rule. The dispute follows US decisions finding that fully AI-generated works are not copyrightable and that simple prompting is not enough to establish human authorship. Canada’s ruling could become an important reference point for future music disputes for rightsholders.

GEMA launches fully cleared PLAI dataset for AI training

German collecting society GEMA has launched PLAI, a fully cleared music dataset designed for AI developers. The dataset includes nearly 180,000 recordings across more than 60 genres, with comprehensive metadata and rights clearance included. GEMA says the platform offers one-stop licensing, flexible data packages, and legal certainty for companies training AI tools. Participating music companies include Bailer Music Publishing, Earmotion Audio Creation, Intervox Production Music, Music Sculptor, and Sonoton Music, with contributors to be compensated proportionately and appropriately. AI-powered transcription company Klangio is the first client to use PLAI. GEMA framed the launch as proof that AI training and fair remuneration for creators can coexist, especially as legal fights over unlicensed AI training continue. The society is also litigating against Suno and says courts and policymakers need to clarify that creative works used in AI systems must be licensed and remunerated.

AM/FM radio still dominates ad-supported audio time

AM/FM radio continues to hold a much larger share of ad-supported audio listening than Spotify’s free tier in the US, according to Edison’s Q2 2026 “Share of Ear” report. The report says AM/FM radio accounts for 62% of ad-supported audio time among Americans 18 and older, compared with about 6% for Spotify’s ad-supported tier. Among listeners aged 25 to 54, Spotify’s ad-supported share of total Spotify listening has fallen sharply, from 53% in 2017 to 22% now. Edison also says AM/FM radio leads across household income brackets, including among listeners earning under $50,000, $50,001 to $99,000, and $100,000 or more. The report separates podcasts into their own category, which affects platform comparisons. Still, the findings show that free on-demand listening has a long way to go before replacing traditional broadcast radio’s reach, even as paid streaming keeps growing across mature markets today and advertising budgets going forward.

India’s paid music subscribers could hit 30 million by 2028

India’s paid music streaming subscriber base could grow from about 14 million in 2025 to between 28 million and 30 million by 2028, according to a new EY and Indian Music Industry report. The study found that 96% of smartphone owners in India consume music and 80% listen for more than an hour a day, but only 38% have ever paid for music streaming, including bundled subscriptions. Dedicated music streaming services are used by 60% of respondents, while YouTube remains a major discovery platform. The report frames the gap as a legacy of India moving from physical formats straight into free, ad-supported streaming. Paid subscriptions grew 37% in 2025, and subscription revenue is projected to rise from about INR10 billion in 2025 to INR22 billion by 2028. The report points to ad-free listening, playback control, and audio quality as key reasons people pay for music subscriptions over free access.

UK music groups push for stronger arts education policy

The Musicians’ Union, Equity, UK Music, the Royal College of Art, the National Education Union, and other organizations are urging the revamped UK government to go further on arts and music education in English schools. In an open letter to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the groups say the government must “fully restore the status of arts subjects” rather than continue “tinkering around the edges.” They welcomed the decision to scrap the English Baccalaureate, which excluded creative subjects like music and often led schools to deprioritize them. However, the letter argues that other school assessment and funding policies may still leave arts subjects undervalued. The groups say music, art, and drama should not be treated as optional extras, but as a fundamental part of every child’s education. They are now pushing new Education Secretary Lucy Powell, along with culture ministers, to deliver broader reform and better access across the country.

Random Ramblings:

• Mexico’s latest streaming trend is emo, because apparently heartbreak still knows how to travel.
• The best DJ mixes of 2026 so far are here for anyone whose queue needs a reset.
• Katy Perry says she did not condone “Firework” being used in a military strikes video.
• London’s phone-free club night asked people to leave their devices at the door and remember what dancing without documentation feels like.