Udio stops user downloads after UMG deal: Here’s why
Udio’s recent partnership with UMG (and now Warner) is reshaping artist revenue, users rights, and how creators interact with AI music.
A new Udio and UMG partnership
Back in October, Universal Music Group (UMG) and Udio revealed that they had not only settled their copyright lawsuit but were also starting a brand new partnership. The two parties are teaming up on an “innovative, new commercial music creation, consumption and streaming experience”.
Coming in the form of a new subscription platform, users will be able to customize, stream, and share AI created music. Meanwhile, it solves a few crucial issues with AI-generated music. This time around, Udio’s model will be trained on properly authorized and licensed music. That means more revenue opportunities for UMG artists and songwriters.
A disrupted user experience
At the time of the announcement, both parties made it clear that Udio’s service would temporarily shift into a more controlled, walled environment while the new platform is built. That included fingerprinting tech to detect human-made material inside AI tracks, which makes sense given UMG’s recent partnership to develop technology that can do exactly that.
Consequently, Udio quietly restricted the ability for users to download their AI music creations, which was unsurprisingly met with huge backlash from creators. As a temporary measure to ease tensions, Udio briefly reopened downloads for 48 hours.
A final nail in the coffin
Now, The Verge is reporting that the change is final. Thanks to its settlement with UMG, Udio users can no longer download their AI music creations at all.
Annoyed Udio users are stuck with that decision too, as the contract they sign when creating a Udio account includes a waiver of their right to bring a class action lawsuit.
Why this matters for the music industry
For the music industry, the moment could signal a bigger turning point. Deals like this highlight how AI companies can operate legally within the industry. Signing licensing agreements with record labels means that artists, songwriters, and rightsholders remain in control of their work, while receiving the compensation they deserve.
Just weeks after the UMG announcement, Warner Music also revealed it had signed a separate partnership focused on licensed music. If two of the world’s biggest music companies are moving toward collaboration with AI platforms, that’s a pretty loud signal.
While Udio doesn’t need to make a new platform for every label, these agreements could serve as the blueprint for how AI music generators and major labels can coexist responsibly, legally, and profitably.
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