3 Count: Funk Rave

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1: Suno and Udio Face Another Lawsuit from Indie Artists Over AI Training, Echoing Major Labels’ Stream-Ripping Allegations

First, today, Mandy Dalugdug at Music Business Worldwide reports that AI music generators Suno and Udio are facing a new lawsuit, this one filed by a group of independent musicians who allege that the AI company is flooding the market with substitute tracks based on their work.

The case is the latest lawsuit filed against the companies. In June 2024, the major record labels filed a similar lawsuit alleging that Suno and Udio used sound recordings, lyrics and other elements from popular music to generate new tracks. They expanded their lawsuit to include allegations of stream ripping from YouTube.

The latest lawsuit goes beyond copyright and also claims violations under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act. It alleges that AI companies use “biometric identifiers and voiceprints” from the performers without permission. The case has been filed as a proposed class action lawsuit covering artists with registered copyrights in sound recordings after February 15, 1972.

2: Israeli Broadcasters Sue TikTok for Millions Over Copyright Violations

Next up today, Lital Dubrovitsky at Ynew News reports that four Israeli broadcasters have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against TikTok, alleging that the service enables users to pirate their content.

The lawsuit seeks 2.6 million shekels ($670,000) in damages and alleges that TikTok looks the other way as users illegally upload content from their networks. It alleges that TikTok is aware of the issue but has failed to implement monitoring or prevention tools despite being able to do so.

TikTok did not comment on the story, saying it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

3: Anitta Wins Court Ruling to Dismiss Funk Rave Copyright Suit

Finally, today, Cover Media reports that, in Brazil, the musician Anitta has won a copyright infringement lawsuit that accused her of lifting elements of her 2023 hit Funk Rave.

Songwriters Giorgio Trovato and Giuseppe Di Caccamo Jr. filed the lawsuit, claiming that Funk Rave infringed on their 2006 song Sácalo. Anitta, for her part, would have been just 14 years old at the time the song was released.

However, the judge in the case found that the claim was “speculative at best” and said that allowing the case to proceed would not “pass muster.” As such, they dismissed the case, noting that the songs were not similar enough to sustain the allegations.

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