Suno and BMG Announce Global AI Music Licensing Deal

Suno, the AI music generation platform, has signed a global licensing agreement with BMG, the music company owned by Bertelsmann. The deal marks the second major partnership between Suno and a large rightsholder, following Warner Music Group‘s alliance nine months ago.

Deal Framework and Opt-In Model

The agreement establishes a strategic framework covering BMG’s recorded music and publishing catalogs. It includes an opt-in provision, meaning BMG artists and songwriters can choose to participate, and it settles prior use of BMG’s recordings and compositions.

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.

Celine Joshua, BMG’s EVP of Global Marketing & Streaming, 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.

Legal Landscape and Industry Lawsuits

BMG is the first significant rightsholder to license with Suno since Warner Music Group (WMG) announced its deal nine months ago. The two largest music companies, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Group, are pursuing an ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit against Suno in the United States, alleging widespread unauthorized use of their catalogs to train earlier models. Suno has raised more than $400 million in funding at a $5.4 billion valuation and reports that over 100 million people have used its platform.

Last month, Suno lost a legal challenge in Germany brought by GEMA, the German collection society. The Munich Regional Court ruled that Suno was not entitled to use GEMA’s repertoire and ordered the company to disclose revenue and pay damages. Suno said it is evaluating all available options, including an appeal.

Suno’s New Safeguards and Platform Restrictions

On Monday, Suno confirmed it will limit the number of downloads subscribers can export from its platform, a change taking effect next month. The company said the move is intended to “make it harder for bad actors to mass-export music.” Suno also committed to adopting new audio watermarking and fingerprinting technology to help distribution platforms combat fraud and misuse, aligning with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act (European Union Artificial Intelligence Act).

BMG noted that on August 6, Suno published updated principles for building the future of music and announced safeguards to make AI-generated content easier to identify and to prevent mass distribution of inauthentic or low-quality material. Those principles will inform the experiences developed through the BMG partnership.

BMG’s Catalog and Financial Position

BMG represents more than 3 million songs and recordings, including works by will.i.am, Jean-Michel Jarre, Tina Turner, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, and Paul Simon. BMG, owned by Germany’s Bertelsmann, was part of a coalition of music companies that in July proposed principles to prevent unauthorized AI-generated recordings from appearing on official charts.

That catalog figure is expected to grow significantly by year-end, as BMG’s multi-billion-dollar merger with Concord has received regulatory clearance in Germany and the U.S. and is set to close in the fourth quarter. Concord has invested over $3 billion since 2020 across publishing, recorded music, theatrical rights, and distribution, and its roster includes more than 125,000 artists and songwriters.

In its fiscal year 2025, BMG posted revenues of €900 million (USD $1.02 billion), with adjusted operating EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) reaching a record €284 million ($321 million).