Rishika Shahi
In recent news, YouTube has begun blocking popular songs from artists such as Adele, Kendrick Lamar, and Nirvana due to licensing issues with SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers). As a for-profit performance rights organization, SESAC plays a crucial role in managing the rights of songwriters and composers. This development has raised concerns among content creators who rely on these tracks for their videos, prompting discussions about the complexities of music licensing in the digital age.
What is SESAC?
Founded in 1930, SESAC is one of the three major performance rights organizations in the United States. Unlike its nonprofit counterparts ASCAP and BMI, SESAC operates on a for-profit basis. It represents a diverse range of artists across various genres and collects royalties on their behalf when their music is publicly performed or broadcast. Understanding SESAC’s role is essential for grasping the current challenges faced by content creators on platforms like YouTube.
SESAC has not officially addressed its disagreement with YouTube, but in a statement provided to Variety, a spokesman for the music service said, “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. We take copyright very seriously and as a result, content represented by SESAC is no longer available on YouTube in the US. We are in active conversations with SESAC and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.”
Reactions from Artists and Creators
The decision to block these popular songs has sparked mixed reactions from both artists and content creators. Some musicians support the enforcement of their rights through organizations like SESAC, while others express frustration over the limitations placed on their music’s accessibility. Content creators are voicing concerns about losing valuable resources for enhancing their videos, leading to calls for more transparent licensing processes.
YouTube users expressed their annoyance at the unexpected inability to stream popular music. The TeamYouTube account on X, formerly Twitter, responded to the outcry by stating, “Despite our best efforts, our music license agreement with SESAC has expired without an agreement on renewal conditions.” According to copyright laws, we have so prohibited US users’ access to YouTube content that is known to be connected to SESAC.
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