In a move that has left many music fans frustrated, YouTube has restricted access to songs by renowned artists such as Adele, Bob Dylan, and Green Day in the United States. This action stems from an ongoing legal dispute with the performing rights organization, SESAC.
Over the weekend, users attempting to play songs by these artists were met with a message stating the content was unavailable in the US due to copyright issues with SESAC. YouTube’s consumer help channel on X, formerly Twitter, acknowledged the issue, stating that their music license agreement with SESAC had expired without an agreement on renewal conditions despite their best efforts.
“We hear you. Our music license agreement with SESAC has expired without an agreement on renewal conditions despite our best efforts,” the company explained. “For this reason, we have blocked content on YouTube in the U.S. known to be associated with SESAC – as in line with copyright law.”
YouTube has emphasized that they are actively working towards a renewal agreement with SESAC, acknowledging the inconvenience this situation poses to users. A representative from YouTube told Variety, “We have held good faith negotiations with SESAC to renew our existing deal. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an equitable agreement before its expiration.”
While YouTube maintains they are in active discussions with SESAC to reach a new deal, sources suggest this move could be a negotiating tactic, as the previous deal doesn’t expire until next week.
This situation highlights the complex relationship between streaming platforms and performing rights organizations like SESAC, ASCAP, and BMI. These organizations collect royalties and protect copyrights on behalf of songwriters and music publishers, granting them the authority to block certain public performances of music, including streaming on platforms like YouTube.
The dispute between YouTube and SESAC mirrors a similar conflict between Universal Music Group and TikTok earlier this year. Following the expiration of their contract in January, Universal removed numerous songs from TikTok’s catalog, affecting major artists like Harry Styles and Coldplay. However, the two companies eventually reached a new multi-dimensional licensing agreement in May 2024.
This latest dispute adds to YouTube’s recent controversies, including the implementation of the “Pause ads” feature, the restriction of certain fitness videos for teens, and the shutdown of the Tenet Media channel. It remains to be seen how this licensing dispute will be resolved and what impact it will have on music streaming on YouTube in the long term.
