YouTube blocks music videos from multiple artists in the U.S. following licensing dispute

Since Saturday, access to numerous music videos on YouTube from renowned artists like Adele, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, and R.E.M. have been restricted for viewers in the United States.

As reported by TechCrunch, attempting to play certain tracks results in a message stating that the content is unavailable due to SESAC ownership. Curiously, this notification sometimes appears after an advertisement has played. According to Billboard, music videos for significant hit songs such as Adele’s Hello and R.E.M’s Losing my Religion are no longer playable on YouTube for U.S. users.

It’s worth noting that not all videos by these artists are affected, leaving uncertainty about whether some content is exempt from the current issue or if it has simply been overlooked in the blocking process.

YouTube has addressed the situation through press releases and social media posts, attributing the problem to unsuccessful negotiations with SESAC, an organisation representing over 35,000 music creators and publishers.

The platform expressed regret over the inability to reach a fair agreement before the previous deal expired. As a result, YouTube has removed SESAC-represented content for U.S. viewers, citing their commitment to copyright protection. They’ve stated that discussions with SESAC are ongoing, with hopes of swiftly reaching a new arrangement.

This scenario echoes the recent disagreement between Universal Music Group and TikTok, which led to the removal of music by popular artists like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Ariana Grande from the short-video platform during royalty negotiations.

It’s important to distinguish that unlike UMG, SESAC is not a record label. Instead, it functions as a royalty collection entity for songwriters and publishers, comparable to organisations like ASCAP and BMI. SESAC’s roster includes additional notable artists such as Burna Boy, Kenny Rogers, and Kings of Leon.