Suno Struggles to Reach Licensing Deals with Universal Music Group and Sony Music

Apr 8, 2026

AI music generation platform Suno is failing to secure licensing agreements with major record labels Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, according to Financial Times reporting. The core dispute centers on distribution rights: Universal Music Group wants AI-generated tracks confined within apps like Suno, while Suno wants users to freely share and distribute their AI-generated songs across the internet. This licensing impasse follows a massive copyright lawsuit filed against Suno by major music labels in June 2024. Suno's platform allows users to create AI-generated music using text prompts, but the inability to reach agreements with the industry's largest labels threatens its business model and user experience.

Licensing Dispute Between Suno and Major Music Labels

▪Suno became the subject of a massive copyright lawsuit from major music labels in June 2024.
▪Suno is struggling to reach licensing deals with Universal Music Group.

Disagreement Over AI-Generated Music Distribution Rights

▪Suno lets users create AI-generated music with a text prompt.
▪Universal Music Group wants AI-generated tracks to stay inside apps such as Suno and not spread freely across the internet.
▪Suno wants users to be able to share and distribute AI-generated songs more widely.
▪Suno and major music labels cannot agree on whether users should be able to share the AI-generated songs they create.