Sony Files New Copyright Suit Against AI Music Platform Udio Over 30,000 Recordings
On July 20, 2024, Sony Music Entertainment filed a second copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI music company Udio in the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit claims that Udio illegally copied 30,117 sound recordings to develop its AI models. This follows a June 29 decision that denied Sony's attempt to include these recordings in its first lawsuit. The case involves nine related labels and accuses Udio of "stream ripping" from YouTube. Although Udio admits its models used the recordings, it argues that this falls under fair use. Sony is seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 for each work and is also looking for an injunction. Udio was founded in April 2024 by former researchers from Google DeepMind.
Key facts
- Sony Music Entertainment filed a second copyright lawsuit against Udio on July 20, 2025.
- The lawsuit asserts 30,117 sound recordings copied without permission to train AI models.
- The suit was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
- A June 29 ruling denied Sony's bid to add the recordings to its original June 2024 case.
- Udio allegedly obtained recordings by stream ripping from YouTube using YT-DLP.
- Udio has licensing deals with Universal, Warner, Merlin, Kobalt, Believe, and NMPA, but not Sony.
- Sony seeks statutory damages up to $150,000 per work and $2,500 per circumvention act.
- Udio was founded by former Google DeepMind researchers and launched in April 2024.
Entities
Artists
- Andrew Sanchez
Institutions
- Sony Music Entertainment
- Udio
- Arista Records
- LaFace
- RIAA
- Universal Music Group
- Warner Music Group
- Merlin
- Kobalt
- Believe
- National Music Publishers' Association
- Uncharted Labs
- Google DeepMind
- Suno
- Music Business Worldwide
Locations
- United States
- New York
- Southern District of New York
- District of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts