Suno faces two new lawsuits from rights holders connected to Elvis Presley and Eminem, who say the AI music service generates unauthorized imitations of the artists’ voices, music and lyrics. The cases widen the legal fight over generative music beyond conventional copyright claims.
Presley’s rights holders argue that Suno violated Tennessee’s Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, known as the ELVIS Act. The law restricts unauthorized AI cloning of a performer’s voice and likeness. A separate publisher representing some of Eminem’s best-known records is also suing over alleged mimicry.
The complaints resemble a September case brought by singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and other artists. Those plaintiffs focused on imitations of their identities rather than alleging direct copyright infringement. Suno is also defending cases from Sony, Universal Music Group, Reservoir Media and others, so courts may have to consider several overlapping theories about training data, output similarity and personal identity.
Suno told The Verge that its product is meant to create original music, not trade on an artist’s name or likeness. The company said it blocks prompts naming specific artists or songs and uses outside screening services for uploaded audio and lyrics. The lawsuits will test whether those safeguards prevent prohibited outputs in practice and whether state identity laws can reach AI-generated music that evokes a recognizable performer.