Sony and Universal Music Group seek DistroKid data on AI music

Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment have filed a motion in Manhattan federal court to compel the music distributor DistroKid to disclose internal data regarding AI-generated music uploads. The legal action follows DistroKid’s refusal to comply with a subpoena issued in September.

The major record labels seek monthly figures detailing the volume of recordings distributed by DistroKid, specifically those identified by detection software as potentially AI-generated, such as tracks created via Suno. They also requested data on streaming activity and associated royalties for these recordings.

This move is intended to support the labels’ ongoing copyright litigation against Suno. While DistroKid is not a defendant in the Suno case, the labels argue that DistroKid’s records are essential to proving how generative AI impacts the commercial market for human-made music. The labels aim to demonstrate whether AI-generated content is diverting revenue and listeners away from copyrighted recordings.