Reservoir files lawsuits against Suno and Anthropic over AI music training

The new legal filings

Reservoir, an independent music publisher, has officially filed two federal lawsuits against the artificial intelligence companies Suno and Anthropic. The lawsuits, first reported by Billboard, allege that these labs engaged in massive copyright infringement to develop their generative music tools.

According to the filings, the companies used millions of copyrighted musical works to 'train' their models. Training is the process where an AI analyzes existing data—in this case, songs—to learn patterns, styles, and structures so it can eventually generate new content that mimics those original works.

Reservoir argues that the business models of both Suno and Anthropic were built on this unauthorized use of intellectual property. The publisher claims that by using these works without providing any payment or remuneration to the rights holders, the companies have created a platform that directly competes with the people who created the original music.

Iconic songs in the data

The lawsuits specifically point to some of the most recognizable melodies and lyrics in music history as part of the training set. Reservoir identifies tracks by major artists as being used to build the AI's capabilities. These include Joni Mitchell’s "Big Yellow Taxi," Johnny Cash’s "Ring of Fire," and Madonna’s "Papa Don’t Preach."

The complaint also lists works by other notable acts, including Glenn Miller, Kings of Leon, and Evanescence. By feeding these diverse and famous works into their systems, the AI labs are able to produce new music that captures the essence of these legendary artists.

Reservoir's attorney, Richard Busch, argues that the platform was not designed as a tool for human artists to enhance their creativity. Instead, the lawsuit claims the technology was intended to replace the original artists. The publisher suggests the goal is to reach the listeners of these famous figures with AI-generated substitutes that copy the originals.

A shift in corporate strategy

The lawsuit against Suno is particularly pointed regarding the company's recent attempts to cooperate with the music industry. While Suno has recently reached settlements with some entities, like Warner Music Group, BMG, and Believe, it has struggled to secure agreements with giants like Universal Music Group and Sony Music. These major labels continue to sue the AI firm, maintaining that its current models remain illegal.

Reservoir characterizes Suno’s recent outreach as a calculated move to minimize costs. The complaint suggests that the company chose to infringe on copyrights first to gain a market advantage and is now seeking forgiveness to avoid higher penalties. Busch wrote in the complaint that "seeking forgiveness is clearly more profitable than permission."

This legal friction is part of a broader trend across multiple industries. Authors, visual artists, and movie studios are all currently engaged in similar battles with AI firms. The core of the dispute rests on whether the AI's output is a 'transformative' new work that qualifies as legal fair use, or if it is a derivative product that steals the value of the original human creation.

What lies ahead

The outcome of these cases will likely set a major precedent for the future of the music industry. If the courts rule in favor of Reservoir, AI companies may be forced to pay significant licensing fees or fundamentally change how they train their models. This could make it much more expensive for tech companies to develop high-quality music tools.

Conversely, if the courts find that the training process constitutes fair use, it could open the door for AI companies to continue using copyrighted data with fewer restrictions. This would potentially accelerate the integration of AI into the music production pipeline, creating a world where AI-generated music is a standard commodity for consumers.

For now, the legal battle remains unresolved. Both Suno and Anthropic have not yet provided official comments on these specific new lawsuits. However, the pressure from publishers like Reservoir signals that the music industry is becoming increasingly organized in its defense against unauthorized AI training.