As both a member of legendary English rock band the Beatles and a successful solo artist,Sir Paul McCartney has seen the music industry tides shift many times. Even as online streaming services began replacing radio airplay, the Wings frontman still managed to find success. Now, however, McCartney is sounding the alarm about a new copyright law in his home country that he says could prove detrimental to up-and-coming artists.
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Paul McCartney Calls On Government To Protect Creators
According to the BBC, the UK government is mulling changes to copyright law. If implemented, AI developers could legally use online creators’ content to help develop their models.
Although the copyright holder would have the chance to opt out, Paul McCartney warned that such changes could stifle creativity and eliminate incentives for writers and artists.
“You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it, and they don’t have anything to do with it,” the “Band on the Run” singer told the BBC. “And anyone who wants can just rip it off.”
Great to see Sir Paul McCartney speak out on AI with Laura Kuenssberg. Plans to change copyright law to make it easier for AI firms to use music would be a wild punt against a creative sector already contributing £120bn to the UK @PaulMcCartney @bbclaurak https://t.co/iWVwhOF7G3
— Tom Kiehl (@Tomkiehl) January 25, 2025
The money is going somewhere, McCartney said. And why shouldn’t it go to “the guy who sat down and wrote Yesterday?”
He reminded the government that “it’s your job” to protect the people. “So you know, if you’re putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you’re not going to have them,” he said.
[RELATED: 5 Paul McCartney Songs That Outshine Lennon-McCartney Classics]
What About “Now And Then?”
The 82-year-old bassist’s dire warning to the UK government comes on the heels of the Beatles’ two Grammy nominations for “Now And Then.”
With the help of an AI-assisted program, Paul McCartney polished up some 1978 John Lennon demos to craft “the last Beatles record.” “Now And Then” came to fruition using old recordings of his late bandmates, Lennon and George Harrison, alongside current recordings from McCartney and Ringo Starr.
Scoring nods for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance, “Now And Then” is the first AI-assisted song ever up for recognition at the Grammys. Of course, given that two Beatles were heavily involved in the project, the circumstances aren’t quite the same.
Featured image by SADAKA EDMOND/SIPA/Shutterstock
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