AI Music Wars: Suno Partners with BMG

Leading AI-music generator Suno, which was sued by three major labels in 2024 over its use of copyrighted music in its training data, is whittling down its list of potential enemies. After settling with one of those labels, Warner Music Group, last November, Suno announced a partnership and preemptive settlement Wednesday with the fourth-largest music company, BMG, which had yet to launch a lawsuit against it. The deal covers both sides of BMG’s business, recorded music and publishing, and feeds into what Suno is touting as new, superior models built in partnership with the music industry, due soon. 

The deal settles any claims over Suno’s prior use of BMG’s music in training data. A press release from both companies suggests that artists and songwriters on BMG’s roster have to opt in to future uses, and will get paid when they do so. Artists on BMG’s label end include Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and its publishing side includes Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Bruno Mars, Diane Warren, and John Legend. The company also controls rights tied to Tina Turner, Paul Simon, and Mötley Crüe, among many others.

Warner’s deal with Suno appears to also require at least some degree of artist opt-in, and in general, convincing artists and managers may prove to be a challenge. Madonna‘s manager, Guy Oseary, recently told Tim Ferriss that his client (whose catalog is controlled by Warner) will never do it. “Madonna does not want her music trained on,” he said. “Don’t care what you want to pay her. She’s very clear: ‘I do not want my music to be trained on. I want my music to be its own thing.’ So take her off. It’s okay. You’ll still do fine. Take her off. You don’t have to have her music.

Celine Joshua, BMG’s executive vice president of global marketing and streaming, said in a press release that the future of AI in music “will be defined by whether artists and songwriters remain at the center of the opportunity and share in the value it creates. Choice is the guiding principle.”

“We believe the future of music will be more participatory, creating entirely new ways for artists and fans to connect,” Suno co-founder and CEO Mikey Shulman said in a statement. “Building that future responsibly means working directly with the people who make music and the companies that represent them.”

Universal settled with Suno rival Udio last October, but is plunging ahead with the Suno case, expanding the lawsuit and fighting to uncover the terms of Suno’s Warner deal. On another front, last month, a German court gave collection society GEMA a landmark win, finding Suno in breach of German and U.S. copyright law for training on from GEMA’s repertoire, and ordering the company to pay damages.

In addition to the settlements, Suno is making conciliatory efforts towards labels. Earlier this month, the company promised to provide a means to detect songs made with its  tech, and announced a rollout of download caps aimed at slowing the flood of AI songs onto streaming services. It’s also placing emphasis on its Suno Studio offering, which allows musicians deep control over the service’s output.