Suno v5 in 2026: The AI Music Generator That Topped Yandex Music's Charts
In February 2026, an AI-generated track topped the Yandex Music and VK charts for the first time. We tested Suno v5 and its competitors on jazz, rock, chanson, and in both Russian and English. How well does the neural network actually handle music?
AI-processed from Habr AI; edited by Hamidun News
The AI music generator Suno has shown for the first time that it can compete with real artists. In February 2026, an AI track topped the Yandex Music and VK charts with 4.2 million listeners. But is it an exception or the start of a trend?
When machines write hits
The project SDP, set to poems by Yesenin, was created entirely by a neural network. Until February, the charts were considered the domain of real music: AI tracks appeared, but they did not top the rankings. Now that has changed. This is not just an AI experiment but a full-fledged hit with its own audience.
For comparison: making a real track takes time, money, a studio, a sound engineer, and mastering. Suno v5 makes a track in minutes. True, the quality is often not the best. But if an AI generator can reach the charts, we need to work out where the line lies between an interesting experiment and a real option.
How we tested
We tested Suno v5, Udio, and Riffusion. We generated tracks in four genres (jazz, chanson, pop, heavy rock) with female and male vocals in Russian and English. Each generator produced 8 tracks.
- Vocal quality (naturalness, absence of artifacts)
- Structure (verse-chorus logic or chaos)
- Genre fit (jazz sounds like jazz)
- Instrumentation (variety and balance)
- Lyric intelligibility in Russian
Test results
Suno v5 is the clear leader. The vocals sound natural, with minimal artifacts. The structure is logical, and pop and chanson work especially well. Udio takes second place, though its vocals sometimes sound more robotic. Riffusion showed the weakest results, with many artifacts and a chaotic structure.
In Russian, all three made more mistakes. The intonation is sometimes odd, which is critical for chanson, where intonation is everything. Still, the lyrics were understandable.
What this means
Suno v5 has come close to the threshold of professional music. For indie projects, background music, and experiments, it already works. But for a musician who wants to express themselves, AI remains an assistant, not a replacement.
Key Questions Answered
When machines write hits?
The project SDP, set to poems by Yesenin, was created entirely by a neural network. Until February, the charts were considered the domain of real music: AI tracks appeared, but they did not top the rankings. Now that has changed. This is not just an AI experiment but a full-fledged hit with its own audience. For comparison: making a real track takes time, money, a studio, a sound engineer, and mastering. Suno v5 makes a track in minutes. True, the quality is often not the best. But if an AI generator can reach the charts, we need to work out where the line lies between an i
How we tested?
We tested Suno v5, Udio, and Riffusion. We generated tracks in four genres (jazz, chanson, pop, heavy rock) with female and male vocals in Russian and English. Each generator produced 8 tracks. Vocal quality (naturalness, absence of artifacts) Structure (verse-chorus logic or chaos) Genre fit (jazz sounds like jazz) Instrumentation (variety and balance) Lyric intelligibility in Russian
What are the key details on Test results?
Suno v5 is the clear leader. The vocals sound natural, with minimal artifacts. The structure is logical, and pop and chanson work especially well. Udio takes second place, though its vocals sometimes sound more robotic. Riffusion showed the weakest results, with many artifacts and a chaotic structure. In Russian, all three made more mistakes. The intonation is sometimes odd, which is critical for chanson, where intonation is everything. Still, the lyrics were understandable.
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