As reported by Music Business Worldwide, AI music generator Suno has emerged as a focal point of controversy within the music industry, sparking significant debate over its practices and legal standing. The $500 million enterprise found itself at the center of a lawsuit in June, filed by major record companies alongside competitor Udio. The lawsuit accuses these AI firms of training their systems on recordings owned by the labels without obtaining the necessary permissions. Notably, in court filings from August, the companies appeared to acknowledge these actions, complicating their defense.
Despite the ongoing legal troubles and a growing negative sentiment from the record industry, Suno has attracted the attention of Grammy-winning artist and producer Timbaland, who has recently established an official partnership with the company. After allegedly spending "months" as a "top user" of the platform, Timbaland has come on board as a strategic advisor.
In a statement accompanying the announcement on Tuesday, October 22, Timbaland expressed optimism about the collaboration, saying, “by combining forces [with Suno], we have a unique opportunity to make AI work for the artist community and not the other way around.” He further emphasized the potential impact of this partnership, stating, “We’re seizing that opportunity, and we’re going to open up the floodgates for generations of artists to flourish on this new frontier.”
Timbaland's involvement with Suno extends beyond advisory duties; he will also debut his latest single, “Love Again,” exclusively on the platform. Furthermore, he is encouraging Suno users to engage in a Remix Contest, promising not only feedback from him but also the chance to win over $100,000 in prizes. The top two remixes of “Love Again” will even be released on digital streaming platforms under Timbaland's label.
“When I heard what Suno was doing, I was immediately curious,” said Timbaland.
“After witnessing the potential, I knew I had to be a part of it. I’m excited and grateful to Suno for this opportunity.”
Mikey Shulman, the CEO of Suno, echoed Timbaland's enthusiasm, stating, “It’s an honor to work with a legend like Timbaland. At Suno, we’re really excited about exploring new ways for fans to engage with their favorite artists. With Timbaland’s guidance, we’re helping musicians create music at the speed of their ideas—whether they’re just starting out or already selling out stadiums. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead!”
The legal challenges facing Suno and Udio originated when the major record companies filed their lawsuit in June.
In its response, submitted in U.S. federal court in August, Suno explained that its “training data includes essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open Internet, abiding by paywalls, password protections, and the like, combined with similarly available text descriptions.”
Both Suno and Udio defended their use of the copyrighted materials—held by Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group—arguing that such usage aligns with the “fair use” provision under U.S. copyright law. However, the RIAA, which represents the recorded music industry in the U.S., quickly countered these claims. An RIAA spokesperson characterized the admission by the companies regarding the use of copyrighted music in training their AI as a “major concession” amid the high-stakes legal battle.
“After months of evading and misleading, defendants have finally admitted their massive unlicensed copying of artists’ recordings,” the spokesperson stated. “It’s a major concession of facts they spent months trying to hide and acknowledged only when forced by a lawsuit.” They further asserted, “Their industrial scale infringement does not qualify as ‘fair use’. There’s nothing fair about stealing an artist’s life’s work, extracting its core value, and repackaging it to compete directly with the originals, as the Supreme Court just held in its landmark Warhol Foundation case.”
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