How to Make AI Music: 5 Generators Compared (2026)
Learning how to make AI music in 2026 takes about 30 seconds. Type a description like "upbeat lo-fi hip hop beat with jazzy piano and vinyl crackle," hit generate, and you get a full track in under a minute. No instruments needed. No music theory. No DAW experience.
That's the promise, at least. The reality is more nuanced. The best AI music generators now produce tracks that genuinely sound professional — complete with vocals, lyrics, dynamic builds, and genre-accurate production. But quality varies wildly between tools, and knowing which generator excels at what saves you hours of frustration.
We tested the 5 leading AI music generators across 10 genres — pop, hip hop, electronic, classical, jazz, rock, ambient, country, R&B, and lo-fi — evaluating audio quality, genre accuracy, vocal realism, and creative control. Here's what we found.
How We Evaluated Each AI Music Generator
Audio quality (30%): Production clarity, mixing balance, mastering quality
Genre accuracy (25%): Does it actually sound like the genre you requested?
Vocal quality (20%): For tools that generate singing — does it sound human?
Creative control (15%): Can you guide the output beyond a basic prompt?
Speed & usability (10%): Generation time and interface quality
The 5 Best AI Music Generators in 2026
#1 — Suno v4 (Score: 9.1/10)
Suno is the AI music generator that made everyone pay attention. Version 4 produces full songs — vocals, lyrics, instrumentation, and production — from a simple text prompt. The vocal quality has reached a point where casual listeners often can't tell it's AI-generated. Genre coverage spans everything from pop to metal to classical, with impressive accuracy across the board.
Pros: Best overall quality, full songs with vocals, custom lyrics, 10+ genres, generous free tier
Cons: Limited fine-grained control over arrangement, occasional vocal artifacts on complex melodies
#2 — Udio (Score: 8.8/10)
Udio is the musician's choice. While Suno excels at one-shot full song generation, Udio gives you more control over the creative process. You can generate sections independently (verse, chorus, bridge), remix and extend specific parts, and guide the arrangement more precisely. The audio quality is on par with Suno, with slightly better mixing and mastering.
Pros: Best creative control, section-by-section editing, superior mixing, extend tracks up to 15 min
Cons: Steeper learning curve, slower workflow than Suno for quick generation
#3 — Stable Audio 2.0 (Score: 8.3/10)
Stable Audio 2.0 from Stability AI takes a different approach — it's trained exclusively on licensed music from a major label catalog, making it the safest choice for commercial use. It produces high-quality instrumentals and background music but doesn't generate vocals. Ideal for content creators who need royalty-free background tracks.
Pros: IP-safe for commercial use, clean instrumentals, licensed training data
Cons: No vocals, shorter maximum length, less genre variety
#4 — Google MusicFX (Score: 7.6/10)
Google's MusicFX, accessible through AI Test Kitchen and Google AI Studio, produces surprisingly good instrumental music for free. It excels at ambient, electronic, and cinematic music. The interface is simple — type a description, get a 30-second clip. For longer tracks, you can generate and stitch multiple clips. The main limitation is the lack of vocal generation and limited control.
Pros: Completely free, good for ambient/electronic, no account required
Cons: No vocals, short clips, limited control, fewer genres
#5 — Soundraw (Score: 7.4/10)
Soundraw takes a unique approach — instead of generating from a text prompt, you select genre, mood, tempo, and instruments, then the AI generates a customizable track. The drag-and-drop interface lets you adjust energy levels, add/remove instruments per section, and fine-tune the arrangement. It's less "AI magic" and more "AI-assisted music production."
Pros: Most customizable arrangement, great for background music, YouTube-friendly licensing
Cons: No vocals, no text-to-music, less "wow factor" than Suno/Udio
Comparison Table
Step-by-Step: How to Make AI Music with Suno
Here's a quick walkthrough using Suno, the most popular AI music generator:
Go to suno.com and create a free account
Click "Create" and enter a description of your desired song (e.g., "chill lo-fi hip hop beat with jazzy piano chords, soft drums, and vinyl crackle, 90 BPM")
Optionally add custom lyrics — paste your own lyrics or let Suno generate them
Select a style tag if you want to refine the genre (pop, rock, electronic, etc.)
Hit Generate — Suno creates two variations in about 30-60 seconds
Extend or edit — continue the song, regenerate specific sections, or download the final track
Pro Tip: Be specific in your prompts. "Upbeat pop song" gives generic results. "Upbeat synthwave pop with female vocals, 128 BPM, catchy chorus hook, retro 80s reverb on synths" gives you something you'd actually use. The more genre-specific vocabulary you include, the better the output.
Best AI Music Generator by Use Case
YouTube Background Music
Best pick: Soundraw or Stable Audio — Both produce clean instrumental tracks perfect for video backgrounds. Soundraw's customizable arrangement lets you match energy levels to your video timeline. Both offer clear commercial licensing.
Full Songs with Vocals
Best pick: Suno v4 — Nothing else matches Suno's ability to generate complete, listenable songs with vocals and lyrics in under a minute. For serious musicians who want more control, Udio's section-by-section workflow produces more polished results.
Podcast Intros & Jingles
Best pick: Suno or Udio — Generate a short, catchy jingle in your brand style. Both tools can produce 15-30 second instrumental hooks that work perfectly as podcast intros, outros, and transition music.
Game & App Soundtracks
Best pick: Stable Audio 2.0 — The IP-safe licensing and clean instrumental quality make it ideal for game and app developers. Generate ambient background loops, action themes, and menu music without worrying about copyright claims.
All-in-One Creative Workflow
Best pick: Soloa — If you need AI music alongside video generation, image creation, text-to-speech, and voice cloning, Soloa bundles music generation with 50+ other AI tools. Create your video, generate a matching soundtrack, add a voiceover, and produce thumbnails — all in one platform without switching between Suno, ElevenLabs, Midjourney, and ChatGPT separately.
The Copyright Question: Can You Legally Use AI Music?
This is the most common question, and the answer is more nuanced than most articles suggest:
Paid plans generally grant commercial rights. Suno Pro, Udio Pro, and Stable Audio paid plans all include commercial usage licenses. Free tier tracks typically have restrictions.
Copyright ownership is legally unclear. In most jurisdictions, purely AI-generated content isn't copyrightable. This means you can use it, but so can anyone else who generates similar output.
Training data lawsuits are ongoing. Both Suno and Udio face lawsuits from major record labels over training data usage. This doesn't affect your right to use the output, but the legal landscape could shift.
Stable Audio is the safest choice. Trained on licensed music from AudioSparx, it has the cleanest legal position for commercial use.
Bottom Line: For YouTube videos, podcasts, and social media, AI-generated music on paid plans is practically safe. For commercial products (ads, games, films), use Stable Audio or consult a music licensing attorney.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best AI music generator in 2026?
Suno v4 leads for overall music quality, scoring 9.1/10 in our tests. It produces full songs with vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation from a text prompt. Udio is the top choice for musicians who want more granular control over arrangement and mixing.
Can I use AI-generated music commercially?
It depends on the tool and plan. Suno and Udio grant commercial rights on paid plans ($10/month). Stable Audio 2.0 is trained on licensed music, making it the safest for commercial use. Always check the specific tool's licensing terms. Free tier tracks typically have non-commercial restrictions.
Is AI-generated music copyrightable?
The legal landscape is evolving. In most jurisdictions, purely AI-generated music without meaningful human creative input is not copyrightable. However, if you significantly edit, arrange, or combine AI-generated elements with original work, the resulting composition may qualify for copyright protection. Consult a legal professional for specific cases.
Can AI generate music with vocals and lyrics?
Yes. Suno v4 and Udio can generate complete songs with AI-generated vocals and lyrics in multiple genres. You can provide your own lyrics or let the AI write them. The vocal quality has improved dramatically in 2026, though AI voices are still distinguishable from professional human singers on close listening.
What are the best Suno alternatives?
Udio is the closest competitor to Suno for full song generation with vocals. For instrumentals only, Stable Audio 2.0 and Soundraw are strong alternatives. Google MusicFX is the best free option for quick instrumental clips. Soloa offers music generation alongside 50+ other AI tools in one platform.
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