Suno signs global licensing deal with BMG covering publishing and recordings, including prior training use

What happened: On August 12, 2026, Suno announced a global licensing agreement with BMG covering both publishing and recorded music, twelve days after the Munich Regional Court ruled (July 31) that Suno had infringed German copyright law in training and outputs. Under the deal, BMG granted approval for prior use of its recordings and compositions in Suno's training, releasing the company from potential copyright claims over that material. Participation is opt-in for BMG artists and songwriters rather than catalogue-wide. It is Suno's second major licensing agreement after Warner Music Group (November 2025); Believe/TuneCore followed in September 2026. Suno said a fully licensed model would launch later in 2026; Universal and Sony remain in litigation.

Why it matters to creators: The deal structure, opt-in participation with prior-use releases and new creative products, is becoming the template for how AI music companies convert litigation exposure into licensing relationships. Artists on BMG can choose whether their work is included.

What is not yet known: Commercial terms were not disclosed; how many artists opt in; whether the licensed model ships on schedule.