1) The turning point

Universal Music Group (UMG) and AI-music startup Udio have settled their dispute and announced a licensed AI-music platform planned for 2026. Following the announcement, Udio disabled downloads of user-generated songs, limiting creators to sharing and remixing inside the app.

Sources: Reuters, AP News, UMG press release

2) What that means for Udio users

• No exports: WAV/MP3 downloads are off.
• Internal-only use: playback and remixing remain inside Udio.
• Commercial release paused: external distribution waits on the 2026 license model.

Udio’s FAQ has stated users “own their output,” but without export rights, that ownership is confined to the platform.

3) The lawsuits behind the shift

In June 2024, the RIAA (for Universal, Sony, Warner) filed two suits—one against Suno, one against Udio—alleging training on copyrighted label recordings without permission. By late 2025, the labels moved to add DMCA §1201 anti-circumvention claims tied to alleged stream-ripping from YouTube. Udio has now settled with UMG; Sony and Warner have not publicly settled.

Sources: RIAA filings (overview), Digital Music News, CMU

4) How Suno differs

Suno’s leadership blends AI engineering and label-side experience:

• Mikey Shulman (CEO): ex-Head of ML at Kensho (acquired by S&P Global).
• Martin Camacho (Co-founder): operations lead (ex-Firefly Health).
• Paul Sinclair (Chief Music Officer): 20-year Warner/Atlantic executive (joined 2025).
• Timbaland: producer and early Suno partner (since 2024).

This gives Suno leverage with rights-holders and a large creator base that expects export support, making an abrupt shutdown less likely without a planned transition.

Sources: Suno blog, Music Business Worldwide

5) Leadership contrast: Andrew V. Sanchez (Udio)

Andrew V. Sanchez is Udio’s Co-Founder and CEO, with degrees from Harvard and a PhD from Oxford. He previously worked in product/ML roles at Yext and Vision Government Solutions. He positioned Udio as a tech-first company, later adding rights-management via partners like Audible Magic. While he’s not a lightweight, his background doesn’t match the music-industry depth and executive reach found at Suno.

Sources: UMG press release, The Org, MBW (Audible Magic partnership)

6) What the Udio deal signals

The major labels are moving AI platforms into licensed partnerships. Lawsuits create pressure; deals align data, usage, and revenue. Udio is the pilot: compliant data, controlled exports, shared economics.

7) What creators should do now

If you used Udio before the October 2025 shutdown, your options depend on timing:

1. Pre-shutdown, paid Udio downloads: Paid subscribers held commercial rights to tracks created and exported under their accounts. Those rights haven’t been publicly revoked. Keep proof of creation/export dates and your subscription level.
2. Re-work your files in Suno V5 (or a licensed DAW): Import your exported Udio audio into a paid Suno subscription to expand, remix, or rebuild. Your lyrics, melodies, and structures remain yours.
3. No prior download? Recreate from scratch using your saved lyrics/prompts/notes.
4. Use Suno V5 stems: Suno’s stem-separation lets you split a song into up to 12 stems (vocals/instruments) for DAW editing and clean export—useful for rebuilding Udio-era ideas inside an export-friendly workflow.

Sources: Udio Help (usage/ownership), Suno pricing (stems noted), Suno Song Editor (stems/export)

8) The bigger shift

The Udio–UMG partnership is the first visible merge of legacy music rights and AI generation. It trades some creator flexibility for legal certainty. For Udio users, that shift is already here. For Suno users, it’s coming—plan for it and keep making music.

References

• Reuters — UMG settles with Udio (Oct 30, 2025)
• AP News — UMG × Udio settlement and platform plan
• UMG — Strategic agreement announcement
• Digital Music News — Suno amended-complaint coverage
• Complete Music Update — stream-ripping / DMCA §1201 coverage
• Suno — Pricing / features (stems)
• Suno — Song Editor & stem separation

Keep your workflow moving

Want help rebuilding Udio-era ideas with Suno V5 stems and export-ready licensing? Subscribe to The Righteous Beat for step-by-step guides,

Join The Righteous Beat