German Court Orders Suno to Stop Copyright-Infringing AI Music Use
A German court has ruled that the AI music generator Suno violated copyright law multiple times by training on—then effectively enabling output resembling—six well-known songs. The U.S. company was ordered to stop using the works in question, provide information about earnings tied to the alleged infringement, and pay damages, though the decision is not yet final.
Six hit songs found in Suno’s training data
The case centered on six copyrighted music titles: “Atemlos durch die Nacht,” “Rasputin,” “Big in Japan,” “Forever Young,” “Mambo No. 5,” and “Daddy Cool.” The German collecting society GEMA, which represents composers and music publishers, filed the lawsuit against Suno in January 2025.
The court found it was not in dispute that Suno’s training dataset included those six works. It determined that Suno obtained them by stream-ripping from YouTube. The judges also said the company allegedly bypassed a technical protection measure on the video platform using a method referred to as the “Rolling Cipher.”
How the similarities were tested
To demonstrate that the copyrighted material was reflected in the outputs, GEMA prompted Suno to generate new songs based on the song titles, musical styles, and the original lyrics. The prompts did not provide detailed musical elements such as melody, harmony, rhythm, or arrangement.
Even so, the court stated that the resulting generations sometimes bore clear resemblance to the original tracks in those musical aspects.
Court rejects Suno’s “no copies” defense
Suno argued that its model does not store copies of the songs used during training. The company said the training process produces statistical patterns and general characteristics from the dataset, and that the specific final outputs are shaped by what users enter.
The court did not accept that explanation. It concluded that the protected songs were reproduced during training both in the United States and within the AI model made available in Germany. The judges further said additional copyright violations occurred through the later delivery of songs that sounded similar to the original works.
No successful reliance on U.S. or EU exceptions
In the ruling, the court said Suno also could not rely on U.S. fair-use rules. It found the training itself was not lawful under U.S. copyright law without a license.
The court added that the exceptions applicable in Germany for text-and-data mining likewise did not justify the use identified in the case.
What Suno must do next—and what’s at stake
The court granted GEMA most of the claims it sought, including orders to stop (injunctive relief), provide information, and pay damages. However, the damages amount has not been set yet.
- Suno was required to disclose revenue figures connected to the challenged use before damages can be calculated.
- The court did not yet determine the final compensation level.
Suno disputed the decision and said it is reviewing further legal action, including an appeal. Because the case is still being contested, the judgment is not final.
If the ruling is upheld, the decision could have major implications for other providers of generative AI that train models on copyrighted material outside Europe, then offer their services in European markets.
