Universal Music Group and Sony Music are facing pushback from tech platforms, venture capital firms, and distributors over third-party subpoenas issued in their landmark copyright lawsuit against AI music generator Suno, Billboard reported.
As the legal battle approaches mid-2027 evidence deadlines, major industry players are actively resisting requests for granular platform data, pitch decks, and internal investment evaluations.
The Discovery Battle Lines
- Apple Music complied with six document subpoenas regarding AI track detection but is fighting Suno’s demand for a deposition covering label licensing and streaming fraud.
- DistroKid has refused to hand over monthly metrics on AI-generated tracks, arguing the data has no bearing on core training copyright questions.
- Venture capital backers Lightspeed Venture Partners and Bond Capital Management are pushing back against demands for Suno pitch decks and Series D funding evaluation materials.
Apple Music and DistroKid Resist Subpoena Demands
The evidence discovery process, now nearing its second year, relies heavily on gathering market data from outside parties to determine whether Suno’s training methods constitute fair use. Apple Music stated in a legal petition that it has already provided granular details regarding the prevalence of Suno-generated music on its platform and how it tags AI-created tracks. However, according to Apple, Suno continues to demand a corporate deposition covering topics such as label licensing and streaming fraud, which the streamer dismisses as overbroad.
$30,000 IN 4 MONTHS FROM AI MUSIC. THIS GUY JUST BROKE DOWN THE EXACT WORKFLOW IN 60 SECONDSchatgpt writes the lyrics. suno turns them into a full song instantly. distrokid sends it to spotify, apple music, tiktok and youtube automatically. every stream pays yousuno costs $10… https://t.co/d61VWMv5zQ pic.twitter.com/aWWDidaBKE
Meanwhile, major labels Universal Music Group and Sony Music have turned their focus toward DIY distributor DistroKid. The labels demanded monthly counts of AI-generated tracks passing through the distributor, alongside stream and royalty metrics, to prove that machine-made music directly competes with human-created works. DistroKid has refused the request, maintaining that the data lacks relevance to the central copyright training dispute.
Venture Capitalists Fight Investor Subpoenas
Financial backers of the artificial intelligence platform have also found themselves pulled into the litigation. Lightspeed Venture Partners filed a petition to set aside a document subpoena that targeted pitch decks provided by Suno during fundraising rounds.
In a separate filing, Universal Music Group and Sony Music argued that Bond Capital Management must surrender evaluation materials from Suno’s $400 million Series D funding round held earlier this year. The labels asserted in court filings that a sophisticated venture firm would thoroughly evaluate mass copyright infringement liabilities and training practices before leading a nine-figure round.
| Entity | Subpoena Source | Requested Data | Current Legal Stance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Music | Suno | Corporate deposition on licensing and streaming fraud | Seeking court order to block deposition |
| DistroKid | UMG & Sony | Monthly tally of AI tracks, streams, and royalties | Refusing to provide data |
| Lightspeed Venture Partners | Unspecified parties | Suno pitch decks and internal documents | Filed petition to quash document subpoena |
| Bond Capital Management | UMG & Sony | Series D funding evaluation materials | Opposing compliance demands |
Former Investor Targeted for Public Statements
Beyond institutional document requests, the legal teams have secured permission to depose C.C. Gong, a former principal at Suno investor Menlo Ventures. The labels pointed to a public statement made by Gong on X earlier this year in which the former investor noted a shift in listening habits toward Suno to avoid repetitive recommendations on Spotify. According to the labels, the post serves as vital evidence that AI-generated music actively replaces human-made songs in consumer playlists.
Representatives for Sony, Suno, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective declined to comment on the ongoing subpoena skirmishes. Representatives for Universal Music Group, Apple Music, Lightspeed, Bond, and Menlo Ventures did not return requests for comment.
A spokesperson for DistroKid emphasized the company’s status in the dispute, stating that the distributor is committed to transparency and will continue cooperating with the legal process as the matter proceeds toward upcoming court dates.
