Licensing disputes have long been a defining feature of the commercial open-source landscape.
And this time, YouTube, the video-streaming giant from Google, is experiencing a contract dispute between the platform and SESAC, a performing rights organization.
As a result of this. people trying to stream a lot of songs on YouTube and YouTube Music are greeted with a message, saying that:
This video contains content from SESAC. It is not available in your country.
SESAC in the U.S. collects royalties and helps protect copyrights on behalf of songwriters and publishers.
"SESAC currently licenses the public performance of more than 1.5 million songs on behalf of its 15,000+ affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers, which include such familiar names as Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, RUSH, Adele, Jack Harlow, Ariana Grande, Disclosure, Zac Brown, Rosanne Cash, Hillary Scott of Lady A, Lee Brice, Margo Price, Nicky Jam, Blanco Brown, and many more," the organization said on its website.
SESAC, which stands for the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, has been around since 1930. And while it's relatively smaller smaller than similar organizations like BMI and ASCAP, but SESAC lists many big-name artists in its portfolio.
The organization "represents songwriter’s and publisher’s copyrighted musical works and their right under the Copyright Law to publicly perform those works inside businesses. Essentially, anytime music is performed, played, or broadcast to the public, a license from the copyright holder is required."
Because YouTube couldn't renew its license, it's then prohibited from ever streaming a lot of the songs that are licensed under SESAC.
@claybitkid we hear you. our music license agreement with SESAC has expired without an agreement on renewal conditions despite our best efforts. for this reason, we have blocked content on YouTube in the US known to be associated with SESAC – as in line with copyright law
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 28, 2024
our music license agreement with SESAC has expired without an agreement on renewal conditions despite our best efforts. for this reason, we need to block certain music content on YouTube in the US
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 28, 2024
In a post on X, YouTube said that:
Before this, a similar legal dispute between Universal Music Group and TikTok happened for several months earlier this 2024, before the two parties reached a music licensing agreement.
At the time, some artists’ music was also not available on the social media platform.
SESAC has a searchable database of its repertory, and what's worth noting, not all the songs listed there appear to have been removed.
It's also worth noting that the case only prohibits YouTube from streaming the SESAC-licensed songs for those in the U.S..
