British music legend Paul McCartney has joined a large initiative involving thousands of musicians who seek to protect authors through a “silent song.” His new piece, titled “(Bonus Track),” will accompany the re-release of the so-called “silent album,” which carries the warning message “Is this what we want?”. The release is scheduled for December 8 and marks McCartney’s first new work in five years.
The two-minute, forty-five-second track is made entirely from ambient silence recorded in an abandoned studio — tape noise, clicks and a muted emptiness meant as a form of protest. The 83-year-old former Beatle had already signed an open letter to the British government alongside 400 other artists, urging the protection of the UK music industry as new legislation is being developed.
Among the signatories are major stars such as Elton John, Coldplay and Dua Lipa, all warning that inadequate safeguards could seriously undermine the rights and livelihoods of creative professionals. The initiative reflects growing concern among musicians about a future in which their work could be used without permission or compensation. More than a thousand artists are participating in the “silent album” project, including iconic figures such as Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, Jamiroquai and Max Richter.
The first edition was released in February, the same day the public consultation period ended for the UK’s new copyright legislation. The vinyl edition features recordings made in empty studios and vacant concert halls, symbolizing the potential impact musicians fear if the law progresses.
The government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer supports a bill that would allow creative works to be used for training AI language models without prior authorization. A recent court ruling in Munich against OpenAI, after a lawsuit by the German rights society GEMA over unauthorized copies of song lyrics, has been hailed as a milestone in the fight for fair compensation for authors across Europe.
