Description
Udio
What is Udio?
Udio is an AI music generation platform that creates complete songs with vocals and instrumentation from text prompts. Founded in December 2023 by former Google DeepMind researchers, Udio has become one of the most impressive AI music generators on the market, particularly renowned for its realistic vocal quality.
With $10 million in funding led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and backed by artists like will.i.am and Common, Udio generates fully mastered tracks in under 40 seconds. In 2025, the company signed landmark licensing agreements with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, resolving copyright lawsuits and pivoting toward a remix and cover model with participating artists.
Udio competes directly with Suno AI as one of the two leading AI music generators on the market.
Company and History
| Data | Information |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | Uncharted Labs |
| Brand | Udio |
| Founded | December 2023 |
| Headquarters | New York City, USA |
| Founders | David Ding (CEO), Andrew Sanchez (COO), Conor Durkan, Charlie Nash, Yaroslav Ganin |
| Total Funding | $18.5M+ ($10M + $8.5M prior) |
| Employees | ~20-30 |
| Public Launch | April 10, 2024 |
Timeline:
- Dec 2023: Founded as "Uncharted Labs" (stealth mode)
- Jan 2024: Initial $8.5M investment from a16z
- Apr 2024: Public beta launch + $10M Seed
- May 2024: Audio Inpainting + Subscription plans
- Jul 2024: Udio v1.5 - Audio quality improvements
- Jun 2024: RIAA lawsuits (Sony, UMG, Warner)
- Mar 2025: v1.5 Allegro - 4x faster
- Oct 2025: Universal Music Group licensing agreement
- Nov 2025: Warner Music Group licensing agreement
- 2026: Licensed platform launch (planned)
Founders
David Ding (CEO & Co-founder)
- Education: Harvard University
- Background:
- Ex-Google DeepMind
- Led 30-person research team at DeepMind
- Research in attention mechanisms and spatio-temporal reasoning
- Co-developed generative systems like Imagen and Lyria
- Twitter: @DavidDingAI
Andrew Sanchez (COO & Co-founder)
- Background: Ex-Google DeepMind
- Also a musician: Has played in a band that toured the UK
- Role: Operations and business development
Other Co-founders
| Founder | Background |
|---|---|
| Conor Durkan | Ex-Google DeepMind researcher |
| Charlie Nash | Ex-Google DeepMind researcher |
| Yaroslav Ganin | Ex-Google DeepMind researcher |
Team Connection:
All worked together at Google DeepMind developing generative audio and music systems, including Imagen and Lyria.
Funding
| Round | Date | Amount | Lead Investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Seed | Jan 2024 | $8.5M | Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) |
| Seed | Apr 2024 | $10M | Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) |
| Total | - | $18.5M | - |
Investors:
Venture Capital:
- Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) - Lead investor
- PTK Capital
Angel/Strategic:
- Mike Krieger (Co-founder & ex-CTO Instagram)
- Oriol Vinyals (Head of Gemini, Google DeepMind)
- will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas, musician/producer)
- Common (Artist, Grammy/Oscar-winning rapper)
- Tay Keith (Hip-hop producer)
- Kevin Wall (Music industry executive)
- UnitedMasters (Steve Stoute - distribution platform)
Note on a16z:
Andreessen Horowitz has been active in defending "fair use" for AI training on copyrighted material, which is relevant given Udio's legal controversy.
AI Models
v1.5 Allegro (Mar 2025 - Current Default)
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 4x faster than original v1.5 |
| Average Improvement | ~30% faster outputs |
| Technique | Sampling step distillation |
| Quality | Same or better than v1.5 |
| Cost | Free for all users |
v1.5 (Jul 2024)
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Audio Quality | 48 kHz stereo |
| Max Duration | ~2:10 minutes |
| Improvements | Improved clarity, instrument separation |
| Languages | Multilingual (Mandarin, Spanish, etc.) |
| Key Control | Tonality control |
v1.0 (Apr 2024)
- Launch version
- Base generation quality
- 30 seconds per clip
Key Features
Music Generation
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Text-to-Music | Generate complete songs from prompts |
| Vocals + Instrumentals | Realistic vocals + full instrumentation |
| Lyrics Generation | Auto-generate lyrics |
| Time to Generate | 15-40 seconds per clip |
| Max Track Length | Up to 15 minutes |
| Audio Format | MP3, WAV, Stems |
Editing Tools
Audio Inpainting (May 2024)
Edit and regenerate specific song sections based on surrounding context:
- Edit individual vocal lines
- Fix errors
- Smooth transitions
- Subscribers only (desktop)
Remix Feature
- Iterate on existing tracks through additional prompts
- Change sounds, styles, extensions
- Turn casual users into producers
Extend
- Extend songs in 30-second increments
- Up to 15 minutes total duration
Context Window Control
- Adjust how much previous audio is considered
- Up to 2 minutes of context
- Maintain consistency in verses and choruses
Stem Export
- Export 4 separate stems
- Integration with DAWs (Ableton, Pro Tools, Logic Pro)
- Subscribers only
Audio-to-Audio (v1.5)
- Upload your own music
- Remix using Udio's AI
Custom Cover Art
- Integrated cover art generator
- AI image generation for visuals
Lyric Videos
- Create lyric videos in a few clicks
- Share directly on social media
Creative Controls
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Genre | Specify musical genre |
| Lyrics | Custom or auto-generated |
| Artist Inspiration | Indicate inspiring artists |
| Key Control | Tonality control (v1.5+) |
| Mood/Vibe | Emotional atmosphere |
| Tags | Additional descriptors |
Supported Genres
Udio supports virtually any musical genre:
- Pop, Rock, Hip-hop, R&B
- Electronic, EDM, House, Techno
- Jazz, Blues, Soul, Gospel
- Classical, Orchestral
- Metal, Punk, Alternative
- Country, Folk, Acoustic
- Latin, Reggaeton, Salsa
- K-pop, J-pop, Anime
- Experimental, Ambient
- And many more...
Supported Languages
| Language | Support |
|---|---|
| English | ✅ Primary |
| Spanish | ✅ Improved in v1.5 |
| Mandarin | ✅ Improved in v1.5 |
| Japanese | ✅ |
| French | ✅ |
| German | ✅ |
| Portuguese | ✅ |
| Russian | ✅ |
| Korean | ✅ |
| And more... | Variable |
Platforms
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Web App | udio.com |
| Desktop | Web-based (all features) |
| Mobile | Responsive web |
Pricing (2025)
Subscription Plans
| Plan | Price | Credits/Month |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100/month + 10/day |
| Standard | $10/month | 1,200-2,400 |
| Pro | $30/month | 4,800-6,000 |
Note Nov 2025: Credits increased to 2,400 (Standard) and 6,000 (Pro).
Credit System
| Generation | Credits |
|---|---|
| 1 clip (30 sec) | 1 credit |
| Song ~130 sec | ~4 credits (2 outputs) |
| Prompt | Generates 2 versions |
Free Tier:
- 100 credits/month
- 10 credits/day (don't roll over)
- Basic generation access
- Attribution required for public use
Standard ($10/month):
- 1,200-2,400 credits/month
- Priority queue
- Audio Inpainting
- Stem export
- Custom cover art
- No attribution required
- Commercial use
Pro ($30/month):
- 4,800-6,000 credits/month
- Maximum priority
- All features
- Early access to new features
- Full commercial use
- 20% annual discount
Features by Plan
| Feature | Free | Standard | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Generation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Audio Inpainting | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stem Export | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Queue | ❌ | ✅ | ✅+ |
| Bulk Download | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Commercial | With attribution | ✅ | ✅ |
| WAV Export | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Metrics and Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Generation | ~10 songs per second (platform) |
| Generation Time | 15-40 seconds/clip |
| Max Track Length | 15 minutes |
| Audio Quality | 48 kHz stereo |
Use Cases
By User Type
Content Creators:
- Background music for videos
- Social media content
- YouTube, TikTok, Reels
- Podcasts
Professional Musicians:
- Idea prototyping
- Inspiration for backing tracks
- Genre experimentation
- Quick demos
Marketing:
- Jingles and ads
- Brand content
- Personalized promos
- Music campaigns
Personal:
- Personalized songs (memories, events)
- Musical memes
- Fun soundtracks
- Gift songs
Businesses:
- Custom music for projects
- Reduce licensing costs
- Quick prototypes
Competitor Comparison
| Feature | Udio | Suno | Stable Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocal Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ (instrumental) |
| Realism | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Inpainting | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Free Tier | 100/month + 10/day | Generous | Yes |
| Max Duration | 15 min | 4 min single | Variable |
| Legal Status | Major deals | Active lawsuits | Licensed data |
Udio vs Suno:
- Udio: Better vocals, more control, editing tools
- Suno: Easier, longer single tracks, wider adoption
Udio Strengths:
- Most realistic and emotional vocals
- Unique Audio Inpainting
- Stem export
- Granular control
Udio Limitations:
- 30-second clips (requires extend)
- Steeper learning curve than Suno
- Copyright controversy
Legal Controversy
RIAA Lawsuits (June 2024)
- Plaintiffs: Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group
- Accusation: Massive copyright infringement in training data
- Amount Sought: $500 million (together with Suno)
- Industry Argument: AI trained on protected music without license
Resolution and Agreements (2025)
Universal Music Group (Oct 2025):
- Lawsuit settlement
- Licensing agreement
- Pivot to licensed remix/cover platform
- Artist opt-in with compensation
Warner Music Group (Nov 2025):
- Lawsuit settlement
- Framework for 2026 licensed service
- New revenue streams for artists
- Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa among represented artists
Sony Music:
- Lawsuit still active (as of Dec 2025)
- In discussions
Product Impact
After the agreements:
- Downloads discontinued (temporarily)
- Business model pivot: From pure generation to fan engagement
- "Closed-system" during transition
- 2026: Launch of fully licensed platform
Udio's Position
"Our model does not reproduce copyrighted works. We have extensive automated copyright filters in place." — David Ding, CEO
Key Differentiators
Vocal Quality:
Udio is recognized for producing the most realistic AI vocals on the market. Reviewers highlight:
- "Astonishing ability to capture emotions"
- "Incredibly realistic and even emotional voices"
- "The only one that captures passion, pain and spirit of a vocal performance"
Technology:
- Team of ex-Google DeepMind researchers
- Experience with Imagen, Lyria
- Proprietary research in diffusion models
- Model distillation for speed
Community
| Platform | Handle |
|---|---|
| Web | udio.com |
| Twitter/X | @udiomusic |
| @udiomusic | |
| TikTok | @udiomusic |
| YouTube | @udio_music |
| Discord | Active community |
The platform includes social features:
- Share creations
- Receive feedback
- Collaborate with others
- Discover community-generated music
Roadmap and Future
2026 - Licensed Platform:
- Remix and cover service
- Artist opt-in with compensation
- Trained on licensed music
- Fan engagement platform
- Potential integration with UMG and Warner catalogs
In Development:
- Continuous quality improvements
- More languages
- New control features
- Integration with more labels (Sony pending)
Ideal For
✅ Recommended:
- Musicians wanting realistic AI vocals
- Producers prototyping ideas
- Content creators needing custom music
- Users who value editing tools (inpainting)
- Projects requiring stem export
- Advanced musical experimentation
❌ Not Ideal:
- Users wanting absolute simplicity (use Suno)
- Instrumental only without vocals (use Stable Audio)
- Very copyright-sensitive projects (wait for licensed platform)
- Users only needing very short clips
Recognition
- Backed by a16z (top-tier VC)
- Music industry investors (will.i.am, Common)
- Backed by Mike Krieger (Instagram co-founder)
- Historic agreements with major labels
- Considered "Suno killer" for vocal quality
Quotes
"There is nothing available that comes close to the ease of use, voice quality and musicality of what we've achieved with Udio." — David Ding, CEO
"This is a brand new Renaissance and Udio is the tool for this era's creativity." — will.i.am, Investor
"Just like Instagram brought photography sharing to the masses, I believe Udio has the power to bring music creation to the masses as well." — Mike Krieger, Co-founder Instagram
"The most realistic AI music creation tool I've ever tried... astonishing ability to capture emotions in synthetic voices." — Ryan Morrison, Tom's Guide
Key Features
Text-to-music with full vocals and instrumentation
Ultra-realistic and emotional AI vocals
Audio Inpainting - edit specific sections
Remix feature - iterate with additional prompts
Extend - extend songs up to 15 minutes
Stem Export - export 4 stems for DAWs
Audio-to-Audio - remix your own music
Context Window Control up to 2 minutes
Key Control - tonality control
Automatic lyrics generation
Custom Cover Art with AI
Lyric Videos for social media
Generation in 15-40 seconds
48 kHz stereo professional quality audio
Multilingual support (20+ languages)
Any musical genre
v1.5 Allegro model 4x faster
Community to share and discover
API available via third parties
UMG and Warner agreements for 2026
Use Cases
Personalized song creation
Background music for YouTube videos
Content for TikTok and Reels
Jingles and ad music
Musical idea prototyping
Quick demos for musicians
Personalized gift songs
Musical memes
Soundtracks for podcasts
Musical brand content
Genre experimentation
Backing tracks for artists
Music for streaming
Content creation for influencers
Music campaign prototyping
Songs for special events
Educational content with music
Gaming soundtracks
Covers and remixes (2026 platform)
Musical fan engagement
Information
Company
Uncharted Labs
Website
udio.com