The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies in the music industry has heightened concerns about protecting artists' creativity and securing copyright. An open letter signed by over 200 artists calls for the responsible use of AI music generation tools and emphasizes the importance of preserving human creativity. This letter, supported by globally renowned artists like Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, and Imagine Dragons, has drawn significant attention.
Key Concerns Highlighted in the Letter
One of the primary concerns highlighted in the letter is the unauthorized use of artists' works by AI models, jeopardizing artists' livelihoods. This could result in the violation of musicians' rights and create uncertainty regarding copyright in the music industry.
Solution with Blockchain
To address this issue, blockchain technology can play a crucial role. Blockchain, known as distributed ledger technology, makes data alteration difficult, thus securely storing information like copyright and ownership rights. By using blockchain in the music industry, we can register artists' works and protect their copyright. For example, each music piece can be recorded on a blockchain network, making its copyright accessible and traceable to all stakeholders.
Blockchain can also be used to manage automatic copyright payments through smart contracts. When a music piece is published, a smart contract can automatically calculate and distribute copyright fees to the artist or rights holder. This ensures the protection of artists' rights and fair distribution of copyright fees.
Example Scenario: Registration of a New Song
Let's consider how blockchain technology can be used to register a new song and protect its copyright:
Song Registration: After creating a new song, the artist registers it on the blockchain network. This registration includes the creation date of the song, the artist's identity, and copyright information. The distributed ledgers in blockchain make it nearly impossible to alter or delete this information, thus reliably confirming the song's registration and ownership.
Copyright Management: After the song's registration, a smart contract is created on the blockchain to manage copyright payments. This smart contract determines and manages the copyright fees to be paid for the use of the song. For instance, when a music streaming platform publishes the song, the smart contract automatically calculates and transfers the copyright fee to the artist.
Tracking and Monitoring: The blockchain network can be used to track the usage and revenue of the song. Each listen or download transaction is recorded on the blockchain, making it possible to monitor how much the song is used and how much revenue it generates. This allows artists to track the popularity and revenue of their songs and receive fair copyright fees.
Transparency and Trust: Blockchain enhances transparency and trust among all stakeholders in the music industry. Artists, producers, distribution companies, and listeners can rely on blockchain data to be informed about the usage and revenue of songs. This creates a more robust collaboration environment in the music industry.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies can provide solutions to the challenges of copyright in the music industry. Thoughtful utilization of these technologies can protect artists' creativity and make the music industry more equitable and transparent.
Exp:
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;
contract MusicCopyright {
// Struct for song data
struct Song {
string title;
string artist;
uint256 timestamp;
address owner;
}
// Mapping for registered songs
mapping(bytes32 => Song) public songs;
// Event for song registration
event SongRegistered(bytes32 indexed hash, string title, string artist, uint256 timestamp, address owner);
// Function for registering a song
function registerSong(string memory title, string memory artist) public {
// Create a hash with song data
bytes32 hash = keccak256(abi.encodePacked(_title, _artist, block.timestamp, msg.sender));
// Register the song with the hash
songs[hash] = Song(_title, _artist, block.timestamp, msg.sender);
// Trigger the registration event
emit SongRegistered(hash, title, artist, block.timestamp, msg.sender);
}
}
This Solidity code enables the registration of songs on an Ethereum-based blockchain. The functions include:
registerSong: This function registers a song on the blockchain network along with its title, artist, and ownership details. It generates a hash based on this information and records the song's registration with the hash, ensuring its authenticity and ownership.
Once compiled and deployed as an Ethereum smart contract, music producers can use this contract to register their songs on the blockchain, ensuring the protection of their copyright.
