A group of Elvis Presley rightsholders and the publisher for Eminem records filed separate federal lawsuits against the AI music generator Suno in the Northern District of California. Authentic Brands Group, Raleigh Music Publishing, and other entities accused the platform of copyright infringement and identity exploitation. They argued that users who cite Presley’s name generate tracks that mirror his "rich vocal timbre" without permission. The 51-page filing claimed these actions violated Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, a 2024 law preventing AI companies from cloning singers’ voices. Meanwhile, Eight Mile Style, an LLC controlling hundreds of Eminem recordings including "Lose Yourself," alleged that Suno infringed its copyright by allowing users to generate songs and lyrics that replicate the rapper’s work. Eminem is not individually participating in this suit, and his representative did not respond to immediate requests for comment. Attorneys Richard Busch, Mark Block, David Niemierzycki, and Andrew Davis represent both parties in these new legal challenges.
Legal Arguments and Company Response
The attorneys argued that Suno has "mechanically encoded itself with artists’ identities, hard-work, creativity, and time, and harnessed them all for a consistent conveyor belt of cold hard cash." In the Presley case, they wrote that "the next Elvis won’t pick up a guitar," claiming the company aims to make human creativity obsolete by replicating years of struggle in seconds. These elements mirror a class-action suit led by Jason Isbell, which alleges users bypass restrictions by using prompts that invoke specific tones or phrasing instead of artist names. A Suno spokesperson stated that the company exists to help people create original music and prohibits unauthorized use of any artist’s work. They explained that they do not allow prompts for specific artist names and work with third-party providers to screen uploaded audio files and lyrics for potential misuse. The company denied the allegations, asserting there is "nothing unlawful" about asking for a song in the vein of an artist. This defense contrasts with the plaintiffs’ view that the platform facilitates ongoing commercial exploitation of misappropriated identities.
Suno faces similar lawsuits from Round Hill Music, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment, while Warner Music Group settled its case last year. Deals with Warner, BMG, and Believe helped power the label-backed model v6, released in September, though UMG and Sony called it "the fruit of the same poisoned tree." Authentic Brands Group also sued Anthropic last month over 274 Presley songs, demanding $48.6 million in damages, and Eight Mile Style sued Meta for roughly $110 million over 243 recordings. Despite these legal battles, Suno raised $400 million during a June funding round at a $5.4 billion valuation. The cases test whether estates can protect their name, image, and likeness from AI use without explicit authorization or compensation.
