Suno has entered a global strategic alliance with BMG to license the music company’s recordings and publishing catalogue for a new artificial intelligence (AI) music model, the latest in a series of rights deals as the AI music startup navigates artist opt-ins, litigation, and competition.
The agreement covers both master recordings and publishing works from BMG’s catalogue and is designed to support Suno’s forthcoming AI model trained exclusively on licensed music. As with Suno’s earlier deal with Warner Music Group, the arrangement requires individual artists and songwriters to opt in before their work can be used.
“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,” said Celine Joshua, BMG’s EVP of global marketing and streaming.
The deal also settles prior use of BMG recordings and publishing works by Suno, backdating financial benefits, though specific terms were not disclosed. BMG is not among the music companies currently suing Suno for copyright infringement.
Opt-In Challenge
The process of securing artist and songwriter consent has been challenging, with reactions varying from outright refusal to cautious openness and early enthusiasm. Many musicians remain opposed to having their work used to train AI models or be remixed, while others are willing to consider the benefits and safeguards presented by labels and AI partners.
Suno’s Recent Platform Changes
Suno recently announced plans to cap the number of tracks users can download from their generated music libraries. The new limits are:
- Free users: seven lifetime downloads
- Pro subscribers: 20 downloads per month
- Premium subscribers: 60 downloads per month
Users of the Suno Studio suite are exempt from these caps, and additional downloads will be sold as add-on bundles. The company also said it will implement audio watermarking and fingerprinting technology to help identify tracks created with its models.
Mikey Shulman, Suno’s CEO, said in a blog post that these principles will inform new experiences developed through the BMG partnership, citing the company’s Suno: In Session masterclasses and Suno Spark incubator program for independent artists. “We’re investing directly in independent artists and their vision, giving them resources, mentorship and marketing support to grow their careers on their own terms, and we will go deeper with BMG on each of these,” Shulman said.
Competitive and Legal Landscape
Suno now has licensing agreements with Warner Music Group and BMG, but remains in litigation with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. It has also not yet reached a deal with independent licensing agency Merlin, despite hiring Merlin’s former CEO as its chief commercial officer.
While Suno could launch its new model without a full set of deals, competitors like Udio have secured more agreements, and stealth startup Klay Vision has signed all three major labels. Spotify is also working with the three majors and Merlin on AI remixing tools that overlap with Suno’s ambitions. A model trained on a narrower catalogue risks being outmatched by rivals with broader datasets.
Suno’s recently raised $400 million in funding provides a significant war chest to pursue further settlements, advances, and royalty guarantees. The BMG deal is the latest step, but not the final one, in Suno’s licensing push.
