ElevenLabs launches Music v2 with mid-track genre switching

Voice AI company ElevenLabs has launched a new version of its music-generation model, called Music v2, which features the ability to switch genres mid-track. The company stated that the model is designed to handle complexity in both vocals and composition. This new release comes nearly 10 months after the startup launched the first version of its music-generation model. To demonstrate this capability, ElevenLabs noted that the model can transition from opera to heavy metal and back, deliver fast rap without losing coherence, and add non-musical sound effects to a track.

With the new model, artists can select a specific part of a song and re-create it using prompts without touching other parts of the track. Additionally, instead of generating short clips, artists can build a song by sections—including the intro, verse, and chorus—and then stitch them together. ElevenLabs added that the model performs more reliably across languages, lyrics, vocals, and arrangements.

Over the last few months, artificial intelligence labs have been racing to release models that can generate professional-grade music. Competitors like Google, Stability AI, and Suno have also released new music-generation models with capabilities to generate longer and more complex tracks. For instance, at the Google I/O developer conference, Google added the ability to easily create covers, edit songs by sections, and generate music videos using its Flow Music tool.

The new model is currently available on ElevenCreative, ElevenLabs’ tool for marketing and branding teams, along with its newly launched ElevenMusic platform for creating AI-generated songs. The company plans to make the model available on ElevenAPI in the future, with availability coming soon. ElevenLabs emphasized that the new model is built on licensed data and cleared for commercial use, so users can freely use the tracks. Striking deals with labels is key, given that other AI music startups, like Suno and Udio, faced court cases over copyright issues.

Why it matters

ElevenLabs is attempting to carve out a defensible market position by prioritizing licensed data, a strategic move designed to insulate its users from the legal risks currently plaguing other generative music platforms. By establishing these legal safeguards, the company aims to appeal to commercial users and enterprise teams requiring cleared assets.