NEW YORK / LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – Warner Music Group has made a strategic decision that could forever change the music industry. By partnering with AI music startup Suno and selling the Songkick platform, Warner is showing what the future of music marketing could look like.
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Warner Music Group (WMG) recently made a significant decision that could set the course for the future of the music industry. Instead of opposing the use of AI-generated music, Warner has reached a comprehensive agreement with AI music startup Suno. This partnership not only resolves an ongoing copyright dispute, but also creates the basis for long-term collaboration with licensed AI models. At the same time, Warner sold its live music discovery platform Songkick to Suno, signaling a strategic shift.
The agreement with Suno ends a lawsuit filed last year by Warner, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. The accusation was that Suno trained its AI models using copyrighted music without permission. Now Warner is relying on cooperation: Suno will replace its current models with licensed alternatives by 2026. Warner artists and songwriters retain full control over whether and how their voices, names, likenesses and compositions appear in AI-generated music.
These developments come just a week after Warner reached a similar agreement with another AI music startup, Udio. While Universal and Sony have not yet settled their respective lawsuits, both are reportedly in licensing negotiations with Suno and Udio. These moves show that Warner is focused on regulating and monetizing the use of AI in music production rather than resisting the technology.
The sale of Songkick to Suno suggests that Warner is retreating from the fan-focused technology infrastructure space. Suno plans to continue Songkick as a fan destination, although the future product roadmap is still unclear. This acquisition could allow Suno to combine AI-driven music generation with personalized fan experiences – an area Warner appears to want to leave to outside partners.
Investors haven’t overlooked Suno’s rapid growth. The startup recently raised $250 million in a Series C funding round led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from NVentures (NVIDIA’s venture arm), Hallwood Media, Lightspeed and Matrix. This financing increases Suno’s valuation to $2.45 billion. With Warner’s backing and monetization in full swing, the company is well-positioned to move from an experimental tool to a mainstream platform.
Starting next year, only paying users will be able to download music from Suno. Free tier users will be limited to listening and sharing the songs they create. This change suggests a broader transition to license-based monetization models similar to those used by streaming services.
For marketers, this deal means more than just a solution to copyright issues. It marks the beginning of an era where AI music tools are regulated, monetized and brand safe. Warner shows that control over intellectual property and brand equity is non-negotiable. Warner artists decide how their voices and likenesses are used in AI tracks. This is a model for protecting artists’ brand equity and ensuring that AI-generated content is consistent with their public image.
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