Suno Fights To Keep Warner Settlement Private, US Copyright Office Floats Copyright Reform, SACEM Reports €1.7bn In Collections
How The Music Business Works - Issue #61
May 14, 2026
Welcome back to How The Music Business Works.
This week’s stories track how rights ownership, licensing, and enforcement are being tested across the music business. AI litigation is moving from headline claims into procedural battles over settlement evidence, while US lawmakers are being urged to revisit copyright’s treatment of platform liability after the Cox ruling.
New Spotify data from Brazil and Sacem’s 2025 results show how international usage and digital collections are shaping music revenue flows. The Kanye West sample ruling adds another rights dispute, centred on whether unreleased or altered versions of recordings can create liability when played publicly before commercial release.
Suno fights to keep Warner Music settlement terms away from UMG and Sony
Suno is seeking to prevent Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment from accessing the terms of its settlement with Warner Music Group, as discovery continues in the major labels’ copyright lawsuit against the AI music company. A magistrate judge previously rejected the request, finding that settlement terms had limited value for assessing intellectual property markets. UMG and Sony argue the Warner deal is not only a settlement but also a forward-looking licensing arrangement covering training data and future models. Suno says that framing misstates the ruling and would give the remaining plaintiffs insight into its negotiating position. The dispute concerns whether agreements reached during litigation can be disclosed during discovery proceedings in parallel copyright cases involving AI training and music licensing.
This may be the “moment” to rewrite copyright law, says US Copyright Office boss
US Copyright Office Register Shira Perlmutter told Senators that the Supreme Court’s ruling in the labels’ case against Cox Communications may justify a legislative response on secondary liability. Cox defeated claims that it should be liable for customers’ music piracy, with the Court finding liability requires a service designed to facilitate infringement or active encouragement of infringement. Perlmutter said the decision significantly narrowed potential liability and changed incentives for online service providers to curb infringement. She suggested Congress could consider codifying contributory infringement in copyright law, where US statute is currently silent. The Senate hearing also examined broader copyright enforcement issues involving internet platforms, digital intermediaries and obligations relating to repeat infringer policies under existing US law.
Brazilian artists’ Spotify royalties grew by 24% in 2025
Spotify said royalties generated by Brazilian artists on its service reached R$2 billion in 2025, equivalent to about $409.2 million at current exchange rates, up 24% year on year. The company said that growth was nearly twice the rate of the overall market, and pointed to particularly strong performance from independent Brazilian artists and labels. Brazilian funk was identified as Spotify’s fastest-growing global genre above the $100 million royalty threshold, with payouts rising 36% from 2024. The figures complement IFPI data showing Brazil rose to eighth in the global recorded music rankings, with its domestic market growing 14.1% to $707.7 million. Spotify said more than 60% of royalties generated by Brazilian artists came from listeners located outside Brazil during the year.
Sacem releases 2025 figures, collecting €1.7bn globally, of which €859m was from France
Sacem reported global collections of €1.7 billion for 2025, marking a significant result in the French collecting society’s 175th anniversary year. The organization said it distributed €1.502 billion to 663,000 artists and publishers worldwide, a 9% increase from 2024. Collections were split almost evenly between France, at €859 million, and international markets, at €845 million. International collections rose 13%, driven largely by digital platforms, while French collections remained stable. CEO Cécile Rap-Veber pointed to ongoing negotiations with the technology sector and said 2026 would be decisive because of legislative developments. Sacem also allocated €17.8 million to cultural initiatives, supporting 3,801 projects across music, audiovisual and live performance sectors during the year.
Kanye West loses ‘Donda’ sample case as ARA weighs further claims
Kanye West has lost a copyright infringement lawsuit over uncleared samples used during his 2021 ‘Donda’ listening events, after a jury ruled in favour of rights company Artist Revenue Advocates (ARA). The dispute centred on early versions of ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Moon’, which sampled ‘MSD PT2’ by DJ Khalil, Sam Barsh, Daniel Seeff and Josh Mease before the material was removed from the final album releases. ARA argued that publicly performing the tracks at high-profile listening parties without clearance still constituted infringement. While damages awarded were significantly lower than the $30 million initially sought, West’s Yeezy company claimed the plaintiffs ultimately lost money once legal costs were considered. ARA separately alleged that interpolated musical elements remained in commercially released versions of the recordings after the samples were removed.