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Paul McCartney Adds Near-Silent Bonus Track to Anti‑AI Copyright Protest Vinyl

Artists are escalating pressure on UK ministers over proposals that could let tech firms train on copyrighted music unless creators opt out.

Overview

  • McCartney contributes a 2:45 near‑silent “Bonus Track” to the vinyl edition of Is This What We Want?, due December 8.
  • More than 1,000 artists, including Kate Bush, Hans Zimmer and Sam Fender, appear on the compilation, with profits going to Help Musicians.
  • Organisers say only 1,000 vinyl copies have been pressed as part of the campaign’s symbolic push.
  • The project targets UK ‘text and data mining’ plans that artists argue would permit AI training on copyrighted works without permission or payment.
  • Officials say they are seeking a balance between innovation and creator protections, with substantive parliamentary debate not expected before 2026.