Robert Kyncl Defends Warner's Suno Deal as Sony and UMG Press On With Lawsuits

Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl is not interested in fighting a losing war. Speaking on Semafor’s Mixed Signals podcast on August 14, Kyncl defended WMG’s decision to drop its lawsuit against generative AI music platform Suno in exchange for a licensing deal and an equity stake. According to reporting by Music Business Worldwide, Kyncl’s stance is no longer entirely solitary. BMG recently signed its own global licensing agreement with Suno on August 12. Meanwhile, industry heavyweights Universal Music Group and Sony Music Group remain locked in active litigation against the platform via the RIAA. Kyncl’s logic is simple. If a platform has audience traction and is willing to "go legit" by transitioning to a licensed model, the industry must embrace it. "We can make this whole new market, versus [trying] to kill it," Kyncl said during the podcast. He warned that if users cannot use licensed platforms like Suno, they will simply migrate to unlicensed, open-source models operating in places the industry cannot touch. He is right. The legacy majors are playing a stubborn, short-sighted game. Litigating AI into a corner fails to stop the technology. It simply pushes users toward untraceable alternatives, leaving artists with zero royalties. Kyncl, who spent over a decade navigating YouTube’s early copyright battles, understands that consumer behavior always wins. Suno has already committed to limiting user downloads and is building a new licensed model. While UMG and Sony continue their courtroom battles, the rest of the industry is preparing for the inevitable.