According to AFP, pop legend and former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney will contribute a completely silent track next month to a unique “silent album” protesting proposed UK copyright law amendments that critics say would favor AI companies.
Hans Zimmer, Kate Bush, and over 1,000 other artists — including Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Jamiroquai — have joined the project.
McCartney’s piece, titled “Bonus Track” (2:45 of continuous empty-studio clicks), appears on the protest album Is This What We Want?. Organizers say it highlights how the government’s controversial proposals could devastate artists’ livelihoods.
The core issue is that the changes would make it easier for AI companies to train models on copyrighted works without permission or payment. Artists would be forced to actively “opt out” of having their material used — a reversal of traditional copyright principles that currently require explicit consent.
In a statement, organizers warned the proposals would “hand the UK’s copyright framework to global tech giants on a plate,” allowing AI firms to exploit creators’ work for free.
This is not the first backlash. In May 2025, around 400 writers and musicians — including Elton John, Kate Bush, Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Sting, and authors Kazuo Ishiguro, Michael Morpurgo, and Helen Fielding — signed an open letter in The Times calling the plans “a full-scale giveaway to Silicon Valley.”
Elton John told the BBC at the time: “They have no right to sell us out,” urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to “see sense.”
A recent UK Music survey found that two-thirds of artists and producers fear that AI poses a threat to their careers, with over 90% demanding protection for their likeness and voice, as well as fair payment when their work is used for training purposes.
Prime Minister Starmer has maintained the government must strike a “balance” between copyright and AI innovation, describing artificial intelligence as a “massive opportunity.”
The silent album is scheduled for release next month.
The above content is compiled by ModeZone, a fashion and entertainment magazine.
