The best AI music generators turn a short text prompt — a genre, a mood, a few lyrics — into a finished-sounding track in seconds. They won’t replace a producer who knows their craft, but they’re genuinely useful for demos, sketches, background music and beating a blank page. This guide walks through the main tools, what each one is actually good at, and how to choose the best AI music generator for the way you work.
Whether you want a full AI song generator that writes lyrics and sings them, an instrumental bed for a video, or editable MIDI for scoring, there’s a tool built for it. The table below is a quick comparison; the sections after it explain each one in more detail.
Violet Recording is reader-supported — we may earn a commission from links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
Quick answer: which AI music generator should you use?
- Full songs from text (vocals + instruments): Solmi, Suno and Udio are the leading options. Solmi generates songs with AI vocals and custom lyrics and can turn the result into a beat-synced video; Suno leans fast and accessible; Udio leans toward audio detail and control.
- Royalty-free background music for video: Soundraw and Mubert are built around customisable, licence-friendly tracks.
- Composition help (MIDI, scores, stems): AIVA is aimed at composers who want editable output.
- Inside your DAW, for ideas: BandLab SongStarter generates starting points you can keep building on.
| Tool | Best for | Output | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solmi | Songs plus ready-to-post music videos | Full song + beat-synced video | Yes, with limits |
| Suno | Fast, accessible full songs | Full song (vocals + instruments) | Yes, daily credits |
| Udio | Audio quality and fine control | Full song (vocals + instruments) | Yes, monthly credits |
| Soundraw | Royalty-free video backing tracks | Customisable instrumentals | Preview only |
| Mubert | Streams and app/video soundtracks | Instrumental tracks & streams | Yes, with attribution |
| AIVA | Composers who need editable output | MIDI, stems, scores | Yes, limited downloads |
| BandLab SongStarter | Idea-starting inside a free DAW | Song ideas you keep building | Free |
What an AI music generator actually does
Most text-to-music tools are trained on large amounts of audio and learn to produce new audio that matches a description. You type something like “lo-fi hip-hop, mellow, rainy night” and the model returns a clip. Some tools output a fully mixed song with synthesised vocals; others output instrumental beds, loops, or MIDI you can edit. If the idea of generating tracks from a written description is new to you, our explainer on what AI music is covers the basics, and how to make AI music walks through the process step by step.
The leading text-to-song tools
Solmi
Solmi generates complete songs — AI vocals, custom lyrics and studio-style production — from a text prompt, and stands out for turning the finished track into a beat-synced music video for YouTube, TikTok and Reels (you can also paste in a Suno or Udio link). It also covers royalty-free generation and sings lyrics in multiple languages, and songs made on paid plans are yours to publish and monetise. A strong all-in-one pick if you want the video alongside the song. See Solmi for current plans and limits.
Suno
Suno is one of the most popular generators for making complete songs — vocals, instruments and structure — from a prompt plus optional lyrics. It’s fast and forgiving, which makes it a good entry point. If you want to get the most out of it, see how to use Suno and how to write better Suno prompts.
Udio
Udio is the other major full-song generator and is often praised for audio quality and finer control over sections and style. The workflow is similar in spirit to Suno but rewards iteration. Our Suno vs Udio comparison breaks down where each one pulls ahead.
Tools for background and royalty-free music
If you mainly need music to sit under a video or podcast rather than a standout song, these are built for that job:
- Soundraw — generates instrumental tracks you can tweak by energy, length and instrumentation, aimed at content use.
- Mubert — generates streams and tracks across moods and genres, often used for video and app soundtracks.
- Boomy — focuses on quick song creation with simple controls, popular with first-timers.
For creators specifically, our guide to the best AI music generators for YouTube videos goes deeper on licensing and platform fit.
Tools for composers and producers
- AIVA — geared toward composition, with output you can export and edit, useful for soundtrack and instrumental work.
- BandLab SongStarter — generates ideas inside BandLab’s free DAW so you can keep producing in the same place.
- Synthesizer V — not a song generator, but an AI vocal synth that produces realistic sung vocals from notes and lyrics, handy if you want to control the melody yourself.
How to choose the right one
- Output type: do you want a finished song, an instrumental bed, or editable MIDI? That narrows the field fast.
- Control vs speed: some tools get you a track in one click; others let you steer structure, sections and style at the cost of more effort.
- Licensing and your plan: what you’re allowed to do with a track — especially commercially — depends on the tool and your subscription tier, and these terms change. Always check the current terms before you publish or sell. If you plan to monetise, read can you sell AI music first.
- Where you’ll finish the track: if you mix and master yourself, a tool that exports clean stems is worth more to you.
Pricing, free-tier limits and exact features in this space change quickly, so treat anything specific you read as true only at the time of writing and confirm on each tool’s own site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI music generator overall?
There isn’t a single winner — it depends on your goal. For complete songs from text, Solmi, Suno and Udio lead, with Solmi adding built-in music-video output. For royalty-free background music, Soundraw and Mubert are strong. For editable composition, AIVA is a common pick.
Are AI music generators free?
Most offer a free tier with limits on length, downloads or commercial use, then paid plans for more. See our roundup of the best free AI music generators for the no-cost options.
Can I sell or monetise music from these tools?
Sometimes, but it depends on the tool’s licence, your plan, and an evolving legal picture around AI-generated work. Check each tool’s current terms and our guide to selling AI music before you commit.
