New York: Sony sues Udio over 30,000 songs
PUBLISHED Jul 21, 2026, 10:09 AM ET
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Sony Music Entertainment has filed a new federal copyright infringement lawsuit in New York against AI music generation platform Udio, alleging the unauthorized use of 30,117 copyrighted sound recordings to train its generative models. The case, brought on July 21, 2026, marks an escalation in the recording industry’s legal campaign against AI developers over training data. It follows a June 2024 lawsuit by Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group against Udio and rival Suno. After Judge Alvin Hellerstein refused to allow Sony to add approximately 30,000 songs to that earlier case, Sony initiated this separate action focused on the disputed recordings.
By Emily Rhodes | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- June 2024 major labels sue Udio, Suno collectively
- June 2024 Sony details 30,000 allegedly infringed songs
- Late 2024 Sony seeks to amend original complaint
- Late 2024 Judge Hellerstein denies amendment request
- Early 2025 Sony plans separate targeted infringement case
- Mid 2026 complaint finalized listing 30,117 tracks
- July 21, 2026 Sony files new federal lawsuit
- Today case intensifies music industry–AI legal conflict
News Intelligence
- This lawsuit could shape how AI uses music. If Sony wins, AI developers might need licenses to use songs for training. This could slow down AI music innovation. Check if your favorite music apps use AI. They might change.
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