Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
A licensing dispute between YouTube and SESAC has resulted in the removal of many popular songs from YouTube and YouTube Music in the United States. You’ll receive an error message when you try to play affected songs, and some songs will no longer appear in search results. YouTube says it is working on a new agreement with SESAC, but it’s unclear when or if the lost music will be restored.
I’ve been running into a frustrating issue with YouTube over the past few days. Many of the songs and non-stop mixes you used to enjoy are suddenly no longer available. When I tried to play it on YouTube or YouTube Music, I received an error message that said, “This video contains content from SESAC.” Not available in your country. โ
What was even more confusing was that these videos and songs were still showing up in search results, homepage feeds, and playlists. I was able to click normally, but when I tried to play it I got an error message.
It turns out that this issue is widespread and is caused by a licensing dispute between YouTube and SESAC (European Society of Stage Writers and Composers).
The YouTube team addressed the issue in response to a user’s question on X (formerly Twitter), stating: For this reason, certain music content on YouTube must be blocked in the United States. โ
In a statement provided to 9to5Google, YouTube further explained its position.
“We have been negotiating in good faith with SESAC to renew our existing contract. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach a fair agreement before it expired. Because we take copyright very seriously, content represented by SESAC is no longer available on YouTube in the United States. We are in active discussions with SESAC and hope to reach a new agreement as soon as possible. I hope.โ
SESAC is important because it represents songwriters and publishers and ensures that their rights are protected under copyright law. Basically, if you want to play music in public, you need a license from the copyright holder. SESAC offers comprehensive licensing agreements that many companies find convenient and cost-effective for performing their songs in public.
The organization claims to represent top artists such as Adele, REM, Ariana Grande, and Kesha, and its catalog includes more than 1.5 million songs.
The impact of this conflict was significant, with a large number of songs appearing to be removed from both YouTube and YouTube Music in the United States. Popular artists such as Adele and Nirvana have been particularly affected, with many of their hit songs completely missing from search results. However, the situation seems a little contradictory since you can still access songs from other SESAC member artists like Kesha.
At this time, it is unknown when this issue will be resolved. Have you noticed any other artists or songs that you think have disappeared? Feel free to share your experience in the comments.
Any tips? Please feel free to contact us! Email our staff at news@androidauthority.com. It’s your choice to remain anonymous or get credit for your information.
Source link