Music licensing platform Jamendo has launched an AI-powered music search feature to help its clients search through a catalog of more than 300,000 tracks from over 70,000 independent artists and bands worldwide.
The development comes as the company, part of the Winamp family and owned by Belgium-based Llama Group, recently reaffirmed its plans to pursue legal action against Nvidia and Suno for allegedly using its content without authorization.
The new search feature allows users to find music by typing descriptions of their needs, whether entire sync briefs, scene outlines, pop culture references, or describing the vibe, genre, instrument, mood, or any creative idea.
Jamendo says the AI search feature draws on 180 tags such as style, mood or tempo to each track to deliver results. The company promises to “[use] AI responsibly, in service of artists and clients.”
Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO of Jamendo and Winamp, said: “AI should be used to empower artists and creators, not exploit them. With Search with AI, we are proving that technology can enhance creativity while fully respecting copyright and the livelihoods of musicians.”
The launch comes as Jamendo in July reiterated its plans to pursue legal action against Nvidia and Suno over the alleged use of its catalog in training their models Fugatto and SunoAI Foundation Model. Nvidia unveiled Fugatto, which stands for Foundational Generative Audio Transformer Opus 1, in November 2024. At the time, the AI computing company said the AI audio model can “produce sounds never heard before.”
Jamendo said: “No agreement has been reached with Nvidia, despite multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably and in good faith, including a formal licensing proposal.”
“In contrast, Suno has failed to respond entirely, ignoring Jamendo’s repeated efforts to establish communication.” Suno is also facing lawsuits from major record companies over its training model.
Saboundjian in July said: “Our music catalog is not free for exploitation by commercial entities building AI models without permission or compensation. Nvidia and Suno’s use of our artists’ work without authorization is not only unlawful, it is a direct threat to the livelihoods of independent musicians worldwide. We will not stand idly by. As an example, under the US Copyright Act, violations of this nature are subject to statutory damages ranging from $750 to $150,000 per infringed track.”
Founded in 2004, Jamendo offers music free for personal use through Creative Commons licenses while generating revenue through commercial licensing for synchronization and in-store music use.
The company’s new AI search feature represents a different approach to the use of AI in music. Instead of replacing human creativity by generating music, its new feature positions it as a discovery tool.
Jamendo is part of Llama Group (formerly Radionomy), which acquired the iconic Winamp music player for desktop computers in 2014 and has been working to revive the brand. In 2023, MBW reported that Winamp is back with a new product for the modern era: an app for Android and Apple devices.
Music Business Worldwide
