Apple has asked a federal court to throw out a subpoena from Suno that seeks details of Apple Music's dealings with the major labels. Apple Music was added to the non-parties served in the copyright case Universal Music and Sony Music brought against the AI music generator, and Apple moved quickly to quash the demand or, failing that, win a protective order.
Suno wants Apple Music's current licensing talks with Universal and Sony, including any AI initiatives, along with guaranteed-minimum-royalty terms and clauses that keep AI content out of the royalty pool. It also asks how royalties differ between AI and non-AI audio, how common streaming fraud is, and whether the service could survive without the majors' catalogues. Communications with the plaintiffs about the case, extending to agents such as the RIAA, are in scope too.
Apple calls the request irrelevant, overbroad, disproportionate and burdensome. It says it has cooperated for over a year, with more than 90 emails and 10 conferrals, and has already supplied data and declarations on Suno-generated tracks on its platform. What remains, it argues, is confidential competitive information Suno can get from the actual parties.
Illustration for the wider wave of subpoenas in UMG v. Suno
Brett Jordan · Image: Digital Music News
Suno replied on 27 October with a 24-page opposition, saying the data goes to the market-effect factor of fair use and to its copyright-misuse defence: that the majors use their must-have catalogue to extract anti-AI concessions from streaming services. Streaming fraud matters, it says, because Universal and Sony cite it to limit competition from non-infringing music. Reports give Apple's filing date as 26 or 27 October.
About Suno
This is not the first time Suno has been in court with the music industry. In June 2024 a lawsuit led by the RIAA was filed against Suno and Udio, alleging widespread infringement of copyrighted recordings and seeking damages of up to $150,000 per work.
In November 2025 Suno settled the claims of Warner Music Group, signed a licensing deal and bought the Songkick platform from Warner; it said it would launch licensed models in 2026. By September 2026 it had also settled with BMG and licensed with Believe, which left Universal and Sony as the plaintiffs still in the case.
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Apple is one target among several, with the MLC, DistroKid and investors Bond Capital, Lightspeed and Menlo Ventures also served. Lightspeed moved to quash early, and DistroKid has until 4 November to oppose a motion to compel. Apple's motion is set for 1 December, and Magistrate Judge Susan Van Keulen's recusal on 21 October means a judge not yet assigned will hear it.
Header graphic for the main article on Apple and Suno's subpoena
Image: Digital Music News
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