Warner Music Reaches Agreement with AI Music Startup Suno to Resolve Lawsuit

Warner Music Group (WMG) announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with Suno, resolving its copyright lawsuit against the AI music startup. In a press release, WMG stated that the deal with Suno will “unlock new frontiers in music creation, interaction, and discovery while ensuring fair compensation and protection for artists, songwriters, and the broader creative community.”

WMG also disclosed that it has sold Songkick—a live music and concert discovery platform—to Suno for an undisclosed sum. WMG originally acquired Songkick’s app and brand in 2017, while Live Nation later purchased Songkick’s ticketing business.

According to WMG, Songkick will continue operating as a destination for fans under Suno’s stewardship.

As part of the partnership with WMG, Suno plans to launch a more advanced, fully licensed AI model next year to replace its current offering. Audio downloads from the platform will require a paid subscription, while free users will be limited to streaming and sharing tracks created on the service.

WMG-affiliated artists and songwriters will retain full control over how their names, likenesses, voices, and works are used in AI-generated music.

Notable WMG-signed artists include Lady Gaga, Coldplay, The Weeknd, and Sabrina Carpenter.

“This landmark agreement with Suno is a win for the entire creative community,” said WMG CEO Robert Kyncl in the press release. “With Suno rapidly scaling both its user base and monetization, we saw a timely opportunity to help shape models that expand revenue streams and deliver innovative fan experiences.”

The announcement comes just one week after WMG settled its copyright claims against another AI music startup, Udio, and entered into a licensing deal for an AI-powered music creation service slated for launch in 2026. WMG’s settlements with both Suno and Udio signal a significant shift in the music industry’s stance toward AI. Last year, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment jointly filed copyright infringement lawsuits against Suno and Udio. While WMG has now resolved its legal disputes with both startups, Universal and Sony are reportedly still in negotiations with Udio and Suno to license their catalogs and settle outstanding litigation.

In a strong indicator of investor confidence in AI music technology, Suno last week announced it had raised $250 million in a Series C funding round at a $2.45 billion valuation. The round was led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from NVentures (Nvidia’s venture arm), Hallwood Media, Lightspeed, and Matrix.