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Jamendo Files Copyright Lawsuit Against AI Music Platform Suno in U.S. Federal Court
On June 26, 2026, a legal showdown over the future of music began in Boston when Jamendo Music—an open‑music subsidiary of Belgium‑based Winamp Group—filed a federal complaint against Suno, a Cambridge‑based AI music‑generation platform.
Jamendo, headquartered in Luxembourg, has long offered free streaming and downloads for personal use while monetizing its catalog through commercial licensing for independent artists. By 2015, the site boasted 460,000 titles and 250 million downloads; by 2016 it represented 40,000 artists from more than 150 countries. The company’s revenue depends on these licensing agreements, and it argues that Suno’s unapproved use of its copyrighted works threatens that business model.
The complaint lists multiple causes of action, including copyright infringement, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment. Under the U.S. Copyright Act, Jamendo seeks statutory damages of up to $30,000 per infringed work and up to $150,000 per work in cases of willful infringement, in addition to injunctive relief to halt further use of the material. The suit is filed separately from a similar case against Nvidia that was filed just days earlier, but both lawsuits raise the same question: can AI developers train generative models on copyrighted music without permission?
Suno launched its web application in December 2023 and has quickly become a popular tool for turning text or audio prompts into music. The platform has not disclosed the dataset used to train its models—a lack of transparency that has drawn scrutiny from artists and rights holders alike. The lawsuit follows a wave of legal challenges against AI music companies, including class‑action suits against Udio and Suno reported by Digital Music News.
In a statement released with the filing, Jamendo said, “Jamendo believes that the issues raised by these proceedings extend beyond its own commercial interests and concern broader questions regarding the use of copyrighted works in the training and development of generative artificial intelligence systems.” The company added that it seeks to protect the rights of the artists it represents and the licensing frameworks that ensure creators are properly recognized and fairly compensated.
Alexandre Saboundjian, chief executive officer of Winamp Group, noted in the complaint, “The filing of this complaint marks another important step in Jamendo’s efforts to protect the rights of artists in an environment where artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry.” He emphasized that innovation and respect for intellectual property must go hand in hand to sustain a healthy ecosystem for creators, rights holders, and technology developers.
The lawsuit arrives amid growing regulatory and industry attention to the training of AI models on copyrighted material. The U.S. Copyright Office has issued guidance on the use of copyrighted works for AI training, and the Recording Industry Association of America has filed a lawsuit against Suno over similar allegations. The outcome of Jamendo’s case could shape how AI companies source and use music data in the future.
At present, the case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. No settlement has been announced, and the parties have not disclosed the amount of damages sought. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal strategy by Jamendo to defend its catalog and the interests of its community of independent artists. Industry observers will be watching closely to see how the court rules on the scope of permissible use of copyrighted music in AI training and whether it sets a precedent for other platforms.
Jamendo, headquartered in Luxembourg, has long offered free streaming and downloads for personal use while monetizing its catalog through commercial licensing for independent artists. By 2015, the site boasted 460,000 titles and 250 million downloads; by 2016 it represented 40,000 artists from more than 150 countries. The company’s revenue depends on these licensing agreements, and it argues that Suno’s unapproved use of its copyrighted works threatens that business model.
The complaint lists multiple causes of action, including copyright infringement, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment. Under the U.S. Copyright Act, Jamendo seeks statutory damages of up to $30,000 per infringed work and up to $150,000 per work in cases of willful infringement, in addition to injunctive relief to halt further use of the material. The suit is filed separately from a similar case against Nvidia that was filed just days earlier, but both lawsuits raise the same question: can AI developers train generative models on copyrighted music without permission?
Suno launched its web application in December 2023 and has quickly become a popular tool for turning text or audio prompts into music. The platform has not disclosed the dataset used to train its models—a lack of transparency that has drawn scrutiny from artists and rights holders alike. The lawsuit follows a wave of legal challenges against AI music companies, including class‑action suits against Udio and Suno reported by Digital Music News.
In a statement released with the filing, Jamendo said, “Jamendo believes that the issues raised by these proceedings extend beyond its own commercial interests and concern broader questions regarding the use of copyrighted works in the training and development of generative artificial intelligence systems.” The company added that it seeks to protect the rights of the artists it represents and the licensing frameworks that ensure creators are properly recognized and fairly compensated.
Alexandre Saboundjian, chief executive officer of Winamp Group, noted in the complaint, “The filing of this complaint marks another important step in Jamendo’s efforts to protect the rights of artists in an environment where artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry.” He emphasized that innovation and respect for intellectual property must go hand in hand to sustain a healthy ecosystem for creators, rights holders, and technology developers.
The lawsuit arrives amid growing regulatory and industry attention to the training of AI models on copyrighted material. The U.S. Copyright Office has issued guidance on the use of copyrighted works for AI training, and the Recording Industry Association of America has filed a lawsuit against Suno over similar allegations. The outcome of Jamendo’s case could shape how AI companies source and use music data in the future.
At present, the case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. No settlement has been announced, and the parties have not disclosed the amount of damages sought. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal strategy by Jamendo to defend its catalog and the interests of its community of independent artists. Industry observers will be watching closely to see how the court rules on the scope of permissible use of copyrighted music in AI training and whether it sets a precedent for other platforms.
