The AI music-making platform has today (August 12) co-announced a new deal with BMG, described in a press release from the music company as a “global alliance that establishes a strategic framework covering BMG’s recorded and music publishing repertoire.”
The release nods at an opt-in element for BMG’s roster, adding: “The agreement ensures that BMG artists and songwriterswho choose to participate have their rights protected and are compensated for their music, while also settling prior use of BMG recordings and publishing works.”
BMG is the first significant rightsholder to ink a licensing deal with Suno since Warner Music Group announced an alliance with the AI company nine months ago.
Music’s two largest rightsholders – Universal Music Group and Sony Music Group – remain in an ongoing lawsuit in the US against Suno. They each allege widespread copyright infringement by the AI company during the training of its past models.
“Together with BMG, we can develop new experiences that give artists and songwriters real choice, generate new revenue, and make music a bigger part of people’s lives.”
Mikey Shulman, Suno
Alongside WMG, BMG says it is a participant in the creation of Suno’s upcoming set of models, “developed in partnership with the music industry.”
Discussing the BMG agreement, Mikey Shulman, Suno co-founder and CEO, said, “We believe the future of music will be more participatory, creating entirely new ways for artists and fans to connect. Building that future responsibly means working directly with the people who make music and the companies that represent them.
“Together with BMG, we can develop new experiences that give artists and songwriters real choice, generate new revenue, and make music a bigger part of people’s lives.”
“This agreement establishes strong protections, clear economics, and new creative possibilities for artists and their fans.”
Celine Joshua, BMG
Celine Joshua, EVP, Global Marketing & Streaming, BMG, said, “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.
“This agreement establishes strong protections, clear economics, and new creative possibilities for artists and their fans. As we enter the era of creation, we look forward to shaping that future together with our creators and Suno.”
The BMG announcement comes in the same week that Suno confirmed it will restrict the number of downloads subscribers can pull from its platform (and then disseminate to streaming services).
Suno stated on Monday (August 10) that these restrictions, set to take effect next month, are designed to “make it harder for bad actors to mass-export music.”
In addition, Suno has committed to adopting “new audio watermarking and fingerprinting technology”, in order to work with distribution platforms on “combatting fraud and misuse.”
Such changes would help align Suno with the EU AI Act, whose transparency rules require providers to embed machine-readable markers in AI-generated content.
In its press release today, BMG stated: “Recently, on August 6, Suno published its updated principles for building the future of music and announced a suite of safeguards intended to make Suno-generated music easier to identify and to help prevent the mass production and distribution of inauthentic or low-quality content. Those principles will inform the new experiences developed through the BMG and Suno partnership.”
BMG, which is owned by Germany’s Bertelsmann, was among a coalition of music companies that in July proposed principles to keep unauthorized AI-generated recordings off official charts.
Sunoraised more than $400 million in June at a $5.4 billion valuation, and has said more than 100 million people have used its platform.
Last month, the platform lost a legal fight with German collection society GEMA at the Munich Regional Court.
The court found that Suno was not entitled to use the music represented by GEMA, while also ordering Suno to disclose information about the revenue it has earned and to pay damages.
The AI company told MBW it is “evaluating all available options, including an appeal.”
BMG represents more than 3 million songs and recordings, including catalogs/works from artists and songwriters including will.i.am, Jean-Michel Jarre, Tina Turner, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Paul Simon, and many more.
That number is set to rise substantially by the end of the year: BMG has agreed a multi-billion-dollar merger with fellow rightsholder Concord, which has been cleared by regulators in Germany and the US and is expected to close in Q4.
Concord has invested more than $3 billion since 2020 across publishing, recorded music, theatrical rights, and distribution, and boasts a roster of more than 125,000 artists and songwriters.
In FY 2025, BMG posted revenues of EUR €900 million (USD $1.02B), with its adjusted operating EBITDA reaching an all-time high of EUR €284 million ($321M).Music Business Worldwide
