Suno Udio Trials, Where Are the Cases in November 2026
Suno Udio Trial: As of November 4, 2026, Udio has settled its disputes with Universal and Warner, but Sony is still pursuing it. Suno settled with Warner and remains challenged by Universal and Sony, who filed a second complaint on September 18, 2026.
In Europe, GEMA won against Suno in the Regional Court of Munich on July 31, 2026. Independent artists are also suing both companies. Here is the verified status of each case, dated and sourced, and what it means for you.
Contents
- The Case Status as of November 4, 2026
- How It All Started
- Udio: From Trial to Licenses
- Suno: An Agreement with Warner, Two Complaints from Universal and Sony
- In Europe: GEMA Wins in Munich, Koda Attacks in Denmark
- Actions of Independent Artists
- Suno Udio Trials: What It Means for a Creator
- Checklist to Follow the Suno Udio Trial Without Getting Lost
- What TuneLockr Does, and Does Not Do
- FAQ on the Suno Udio Trial
The Case Status as of November 4, 2026
| Case | Jurisdiction | Known Status | Date of Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal v. Udio | New York (Federal) | Settled, Licensing Agreement | October 29, 2025 |
| Warner v. Udio | New York (Federal) | Settled, Licensing Agreement | November 19, 2025 |
| Sony v. Udio | Southern District of New York, Judge Hellerstein | Ongoing, 333 Works; Second Complaint on Over 30,000 Recordings | July 2 and 21, 2026 |
| Warner v. Suno | Massachusetts (Federal) | Settled, Partnership | November 25, 2025 |
| Universal and Sony v. Suno | Massachusetts, No. 24-cv-11611, Judge Saylor | Ongoing; Second Complaint on 60,202 Recordings | September 18, 2026 |
| GEMA v. Suno | Regional Court of Munich I, 42 O 763/25 | Judgment in Favor of GEMA, Not Final | July 31, 2026 |
| Koda v. Suno | Denmark | Action Announced, Jurisdiction Unspecified | November 4, 2025 |
| Justice v. Suno (Independent Artists) | Massachusetts, No. 25-cv-11739 | Motion to Dismiss Mostly Denied | August 20, 2026 |
| Woulard and Others v. Udio | Transferred from Illinois to New York | Case Transferred, Dismissal Undecided | August 3, 2026 |
| Isbell and Others v. Suno (Right to Identity) | Boston (Federal), Judge Kelley | Suno Requests Dismissal | November 3, 2026 |
No American court has yet ruled on the merits of fair use in these cases according to consulted sources. The cited decisions relate to procedure, or to German law for GEMA.
How It All Started
In June 2024, an action coordinated by the RIAA targeted Suno and Udio for massive rights violations over recordings. The majors demanded a halt to training on their catalogs and up to $150,000 per work for willful infringement.
The two companies argued that training qualified as fair use. In both cases, they also admitted to obtaining audio from YouTube. This opened a second front: circumvention of technical measures (DMCA).
Udio: From Trial to Licenses
Udio was the first to settle. The joint statement of October 29, 2025 announces an indemnity and licensing settlement over recordings and publishing.
- November 19, 2025: Agreement with Warner, also settling the dispute (Udio Blog).
- January 2026: License with Merlin; April 2026: License with Kobalt (Music Business Worldwide, July 2, 2026).
- June 10, 2026: Agreement with NMPA, open to American publishers through membership starting June 15.
- April 15, 2026: Judge Hellerstein refuses to dismiss Sony's claim based on circumvention of YouTube protections.
- July 2026: He refuses to add 30,442 recordings to the case, which remains at 333 works. Sony files a second complaint on July 20.
The document production deadline was set for August 25, 2026. Both parties were then to seek a ruling on fair use. We have not found a decision on this point as of November 4, 2026.
Suno: An Agreement with Warner, Two Complaints from Universal and Sony
On November 25, 2025, Warner and Suno announce a partnership that settles their dispute. Suno commits to launching licensed models in 2026 and retiring the old ones.
The same agreement changes downloads. Tracks created in the free offer are no longer downloadable, only listenable and shareable. Paying subscribers have a monthly cap, with additional downloads for a fee.
- April 6, 2026: A magistrate denies Universal and Sony access to the terms of the Warner agreement; the majors contest.
- August 12 and September 8, 2026: Suno's agreements with BMG then Believe.
- August 18, 2026: Judge Saylor refuses to add 61,026 recordings to the first case but maintains a claim based on the DMCA.
- September 9, 2026: Launch of v6, presented as built with Warner, BMG, and Believe, without data from Universal or Sony.
- September 18, 2026: Second complaint from Universal and Sony on 60,202 recordings. They claim that v6 derives from previous models.
- October 20, 2026: Suno responds to this second complaint.
For users, these changes directly impact rights and files. Our page on Suno's Commercial Rights, Downloads, Remixes, and Covers details this point.
In Europe: GEMA Wins in Munich, Koda Attacks in Denmark
On July 31, 2026, the Regional Court of Munich I largely ruled in favor of GEMA against Suno (case 42 O 763/25). Six works were in question, including "Daddy Cool," "Rasputin," "Forever Young," and "Atemlos durch die Nacht."
- The court rules that the works are reproduced in the models through memorization.
- The text and data mining exception does not apply, due to a lack of lawful access: Suno bypassed a technical protection.
- Suno, not the user, is held responsible for outputs reproducing these works in Germany.
- Measures: cessation, revenue communication, damages to be quantified.
According to JUVE Patent, the judgment is not yet enforceable and Suno says it is considering "all options, including an appeal." The same chamber had ruled against OpenAI in November 2025 on lyrics; OpenAI appealed.
In Denmark, the management company Koda announced on November 4, 2025 to sue Suno, notably citing "Barbie Girl" by Aqua. We have not found a decision in this case.
Actions of Independent Artists
The majors are not alone. In June 2025, musician Anthony Justice launched a class action for independent artists whose recordings are streamed.
- Justice v. Suno: On August 20, 2026, Judge Saylor maintains claims on derivative works and the DMCA. Only a claim based on a Tennessee law is dismissed.
- Woulard and Others v. Udio: Ten musicians, including Magnus Fiennes. On August 3, 2026, the case is transferred from Illinois to New York.
- Isbell and Others v. Suno: Complaint of August 31, 2026 on the use of artist names in prompts, without copyright claims. Suno requested dismissal on November 3, 2026.
Suno Udio Trials: What It Means for a Creator
These cases do not target users. However, they have concrete effects on what you can do with your tracks, and how to protect your catalog.
If you use Suno or Udio
- Files: Udio has disabled downloads; Suno reserves them for paid offers, with a cap. Read our page Udio Commercial Rights.
- Models: Suno's old models must be replaced with licensed models. Note the model used for each track.
- Prompts: Avoid mentioning artists or titles. The Isbell case shows that this practice is contested.
- Archives: keep a dated copy of the conditions in effect at each iteration.
If your music could have been used for training
- Date your catalog, version by version, to establish a clear timeline.
- Learn about the opt-in licenses offered by your label, distributor, or publisher (Merlin, NMPA).
- For a dispute, contact your management company and an intellectual property lawyer.
Our page on AI training data in music explains how to gather useful evidence.
Checklist to Follow the Suno Udio Trial Without Getting Lost
| Question | Where to watch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Have my tools changed their terms? | Official terms pages and help center | With each new release |
| Has a judgment on fair use been made? | Specialized press, court records | Monthly |
| Is the appeal against GEMA filed? | Announcements from GEMA and Suno | Monthly |
| Has my label or publisher signed an AI license? | Emails and member area | Quarterly |
| Are my versions dated? | Your filing records | For each version |
To compare the rules of tools that remain open for export, consult our comparison of AI music generators for commercial use.
What TuneLockr Does, and Does Not Do
TuneLockr allows you to submit a file version: audio, lyrics, score. The submission associates it with a date, a SHA-256 fingerprint, and the submission information, along with a certificate.
- Do: date and document each version of your tracks to establish a timeline.
- Do: offer monitoring of each work, showing signals to examine.
- Don't: say if your music was used to train Suno or Udio, or automatically detect plagiarism.
- Don't: determine rights ownership on its own.
- It does not replace: SACEM or an intellectual property lawyer.
The certificate helps establish a timeline and can be kept among useful elements in case of dispute. The first deposit is free, without a credit card.
FAQ on the Suno Udio Trial
Has Suno lost its case in the United States?
No, not as of today. As of November 4, 2026, the Universal and Sony cases are ongoing, and no decision on fair use has been made according to our sources. However, Suno lost at first instance against GEMA in Germany.
Are Suno or Udio users at risk of being sued?
The cited proceedings target the companies, not the users. In Munich, the court even held Suno responsible for releases, as users had only entered simple prompts.
Can I still release a track created with Suno?
It depends on your offer at the time of creation and the terms in effect. Check them, and keep proof of your subscription.
What did Warner obtain from Suno?
A settlement and a partnership. The agreement includes licensed models in 2026 and limited downloads. Artists control the use of their name and voice. An amount of $500 million has been reported, without confirmation in the reviewed statements.