YouTube and copyright watchdog SESAC have reached an agreement that will end the removal of popular music videos from the platform. Under the new agreement, YouTube will begin the process of restoring deleted videos, ensuring fair compensation for the artists, songwriters and composers represented by SESAC.
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Over the weekend, YouTube removed many popular songs, including hits from famous artists such as Adele, Nirvana and Kanye West. According to The Verge, the reason for blocking the compositions was the lack of an updated agreement, as previously reported by the platform itself.
SESAC confirmed the new agreement in a comment to The Verge, but noted that YouTube “unilaterally removed” the songs before the previous contract expired, which was scheduled to end on October 1, 2024. The disappearance of the songs caused dissatisfaction among both users and representatives of the music community. However, another agreement has been reached, and Mariana De Felice, a YouTube PR representative, said that “content will return soon” to the platform. However, the validity period of the new agreement has not been disclosed.
Let us remember that SESAC, unlike ASCAP and BMI, is a small organization representing the interests of the most popular songwriters, composers and music publishers. They currently license over 1.5 million songs for public performance.