Songs from popular artists have begun to disappear from YouTube as the platformās deal with the performing rights organization SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) approaches its expiration date. As reported by Variety, certain songs by Adele, Green Day, Bob Dylan, R.E.M., Burna Boy and other artists have been blocked in the US, though their entire catalogs arenāt necessarily affected. Videos that have been pulled, like Adeleās āRolling in the Deep,ā now just show a black screen with the message: āThis video contains content from SESAC. It is not available in your country.ā
In a statement to Engadget, a YouTube spokesperson said the platform has been in talks with SESAC to renew the deal, but ādespite 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.ā According to a source that spoke to Variety, however, the deal hasnāt even expired yet ā itāll reportedly terminate sometime next week ā and the move on YouTubeās part may be a negotiation tactic. SESAC has not yet released a statement.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-blocks-songs-from-artists-including-adele-and-green-day-amid-licensing-negotiations-151741653.html?src=rss