Suno could face $9 billion in damages as labels add 61,026 tracks to the case
Sony Music and Universal Music asked a US court to expand their copyright case against Suno from 560 recordings to 61,026. At the statutory rate of up to $150,000 per work, that one filing pushes Suno’s potential damages from $84 million to more than $9 billion.
The number went from painful to existential.
The math behind the $9 billion
The expansion targets the official list of recordings the labels say Suno copied without a license to train its model. US copyright law lets rights owners seek up to $150,000 per infringed work. Multiply that by 61,026 and the ceiling clears $9.1 billion. Sony is running the same play against Udio, moving to add around 30,000 more recordings to that case. Complete Music Update reported both motions.
What it means for the licensed path
Warner Music already settled with Suno and signed a license. Sony and Universal stayed in court, and this expansion is how they make staying unlicensed look expensive. A $9 billion ceiling works as pressure. The RIAA v. Suno case still turns on one unanswered question: is training an AI model on copyrighted recordings fair use, or infringement at industrial scale?
Frequently asked questions
Why could Suno face $9 billion in copyright damages?
Sony Music and Universal Music are moving to expand the official list of recordings they say Suno copied without a license to train its AI model, from 560 tracks to 61,026. US copyright law allows up to $150,000 per infringed work, so the larger list raises Suno's potential exposure from about $84 million to more than $9.1 billion.
How many tracks are Sony and Universal adding to the Suno lawsuit?
The labels want to grow the formal infringement list from 560 recordings to 61,026. That is the list the court would use to calculate statutory damages if Suno loses the case.
Are Sony and Universal still suing Suno and Udio?
Yes. Sony and Universal are both still suing Suno, and Sony is also still suing Udio while moving to add around 30,000 more recordings to that case. Warner Music settled with Suno in 2025 and signed a licensing deal.
About the author
Covering AI music tools, industry shifts, and news for music creators and professionals. Twice-weekly newsletter at aimusicpreneur.com.
