From Warner Music’s leadership shake-up to Suno’s courtroom defiance… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-Up

This week, Warner Music Group announced a leadership shake-up, with Val Blavatnik joining the company, Elliot Grainge taking on an expanded role at ADA, and Simon Robson set to exit after nearly 30 years with the company.

Meanwhile, Suno confirmed that its v6 model was trained in part on user ‘creations’ as it hit back at a fresh copyright lawsuit from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.

Elsewhere, MBW delved into Universal Music Group’s lawsuit against DistroKid – including the revelation that over 50% of one major streaming service’s tracks were supplied by the DIY distributor.

Also this week, Carianne Marshall is set to exit her role as Co-Chair and COO of Warner Chappell Music, while Sony Music Group became the first music company to join ARIAM, an AI policy coalition alongside Disney, the BBC and The New York Times.

Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…

1. Warner Music Group Shake-Up: Val Blavatnik joins, Elliot Grainge adds ADA, Simon Robson exits

Warner Music Group has announced a string of changes to its global leadership team, which the company says will drive its “next phase of growth.”

Coming in: Val Blavatnik joins the WMG executive team in the new role of Managing Director, Warner Music North America, UK, & Corporate Development.

As that job title suggests, it’s understood that Blavatnik will now lead Warner’s recorded music operations across the US, Canada, and the UK. (MBW)

2. Suno confirms V6 model was trained on ‘creations’ from users, as it blasts latest Sony and Universal lawsuit

Suno has said its v6 AI music models were trained in part on “creations” made by its own users on the platform.

The company set out that description in a statement responding to a second copyright lawsuit filed on Friday (September 18) by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment in Boston federal court, where the labels’ original case against the company is already being heard.

Suno said v6 was trained on “interactions including creations and preference signals” from its community. (MBW)

3. Over 50% of a major streaming service’s tracks come from DistroKid – and other revelations from UMG’s lawsuit

Universal Music Group‘s complaint against DistroKid, filed last week, runs to 52 pages.

It accuses the DIY distributor of “deceptive trade practices and blatant copyright infringement”, and of flooding streaming services with AI-generated “slop.”

The suit runs on two separate theories: (i) four counts of copyright infringement, which reach tracks that copy UMG recordings, and (ii) one count under the Delaware Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, essentially accusing DistroKid of distributing “AI slop” under the guise of music made and recorded by actual humans. (MBW)

4. Carianne Marshall to exit Warner Chappell Music

Warner Music Group has announced that Carianne Marshall is to exit her role as Co-Chair and Chief Operating Officer of Warner Chappell Music (WCM), the global music publishing arm of WMG, at the end of this month.

A WMG media release said Marshall’s exit comes as the company “streamlines its leadership structure.”

WCM CEO Guy Moot will become the sole chair of WCM, effective October 1. Marshall will remain with the company through the end of the calendar year. (MBW)

5. Sony Music Group becomes first music company to join AI policy coalition ARIAM – alongside Disney, the BBC, and The New York Times

Sony Music Group has joined the Alliance for Responsible Innovation in the Arts & Media, the AI policy coalition better known as ARIAM.

It is the first music company to join the group, which launched in June 2026 with members drawn from film, television, journalism, publishing, education, and technology.

The announcement was made on Wednesday (September 23) by Victoria Furniss, ARIAM’s Executive Director and CEO. (MBW)