In response to proposed changes in UK copyright law that would allow AI companies to train models on artists’ content without permission, a group of 1,000 musicians has united to release a silent album as a form of protest. The planned law would let developers use online content unless artists proactively opt out, a measure that many believe undermines creative rights.
The album, titled “Is This What We Want?” is not a collection of music but a series of recordings from empty studios and performance spaces, symbolizing the silence that could result if creators lose control over their work. Notable contributors include renowned artists such as Kate Bush, Imogen Heap, Max Richter, and Thomas Hewitt Jones, along with co-writing credits from celebrated figures like Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Billy Ocean.
Each of the 12 tracks is intentionally named to spell out a clear message condemning the government’s plan to legalize what the artists call music theft for the benefit of AI companies. The protest comes amid widespread concern that the new law would force nearly 90 to 95 percent of creative work to be used without fair compensation, effectively stripping artists of control over their own creations. Ed Newton-Rex, who organized the project and leads a broader campaign against unlicensed AI training, has gathered over 47,000 signatures on a petition calling for fair copyright practices. Newton-Rex, a former composer and tech entrepreneur, has firsthand experience from his previous work on an AI music composition platform and now voices a strong warning: if artists are forced to opt out of an inefficient system, many will cease sharing their work online. Some artists have already considered moving their work to markets with better legal protections, and there is growing anxiety that the new law will stifle creativity.
