AI Music Shift in Belgium Poses Threat to Local Musicians’ Earnings
Major Belgian retailers, including Brico and Carrefour, have started to replace traditional background music with AI-generated tracks, reports 24brussels.
The shift towards artificial, royalty-free music is gaining momentum in Belgium, even as several European nations reverse similar trends. Retailers cite cost efficiency and the ability to customize playlists for specific seasons or store settings as justifications for this change. “AI music enables us to create bespoke, royalty-free soundtracks, such as festive playlists during the holiday season,” stated Damien Lemaire of Carrefour, which operates approximately 700 stores across the country.
Sabam, representing songwriters, composers, and producers, warns that this trend might result in significant financial losses for local musicians. The agency has long anticipated the encroachment of AI-generated music across various sectors, from retail to film and broadcasting. “Economic uncertainty and global trade pressures are accelerating the shift towards cheaper, rights-free content,” noted Steven Desloovere, Head of Music at Sabam.
In response, Sabam is urging retailers to revert to ‘human-made music,’ emphasizing that neighboring countries have begun reintroducing traditional tracks to enhance the wellbeing of staff and customers. Research commissioned by Sabam indicates that between 25–28 percent of income derived from public music use could vanish for Belgian songwriters if rights-free AI music becomes the norm.
The increasing reliance on generative music technology poses additional legal challenges. Most AI systems use copyrighted material from human artists to develop their models. “We can prove that these systems use existing songs as source material,” warned Desloovere, advocating for urgent international regulations to safeguard creative rights in an era dominated by machine-generated music.
