Songs by Adele, Bob Dylan, Green Day, REM, Burna Boy, Rush, and more are currently unavailable on YouTube in the United States due to a legal dispute between the platform and performing rights organization SESAC.
When I tried to play many, but not all, songs by these artists on Saturday, I received the following message: “This video contains content from SESAC. Not available in your country.”
A similar dispute between Universal Music Group and TikTok raged for months before being resolved earlier this year.
Performing rights organizations such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC in the United States collect royalties on behalf of songwriters and music publishers and help protect their copyrights. They have the ability to block the public performance of music. This includes everything from streaming to the radio to music played in restaurants. However, enforcement is cumbersome and difficult, even on a platform as large as YouTube. SESAC materials on the platform at this time.
Such blocks are legally complex and may involve other copyright holders (for example, live recordings of Green Day made by the British broadcaster BBC are currently available, and there are no legal restrictions). (suggests that the number of videos posted) may also reflect the sheer volume of videos that have to be blocked. Relatedly, certain songs performed by Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, and other artists will also be affected, likely because they feature SESAC-affiliated songwriters.
Representatives for YouTube Music and SESAC did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment on Saturday, but the situation was addressed in response to a fan who contacted X (formerly Twitter)’s Team YouTube account.
It says, “I hear you.” “Despite our best efforts, our music licensing agreement with SESAC has expired without agreement on renewal terms. We have blocked U.S. YouTube content.
In response to a follow-up tweet from a disgruntled user, the company said, “We understand this is a difficult situation and our team continues to work to reach a renewal agreement.” “We are continuing discussions with SESAC to reach an agreement, and we continue to work hard to reach an agreement.” There is no exact date for future updates yet. ”
Such blocks often occur when the rights holder (record label, publisher, PRO, etc.) and the broadcaster cannot agree on a licensing agreement, and usually do not last more than a few days or weeks. But in addition to the painful battle between UMG and TikTok earlier this year, other such disputes arose between YouTube and Warner Music Group, with Warner having to deal with the issue for about nine months in 2008 and 2009 before reaching terms. , ended up removing the video from the platform.
Ironically, YouTube’s previous controversial relationship with the music company has continued since the company hired former Warner Records head of music Lyall Cohen as head of music in 2016. The relationship has become much more positive over the past few years.
Additional reporting by Steven J. Horowitz
