As music licensing bust ups go, the YouTube v SESAC dispute isn’t going to go down in history. Music videos featuring SESAC-represented artists started to be blocked on YouTube in the US over the weekend after licensing negotiations with the American collecting society stalled. But now they’ve unstalled and the videos are back.
The YouTube support team announced on X yesterday evening, “if you’re in the United States we’re happy to share that YouTube has reached a deal with SESAC. Content that was previously blocked will be restored across YouTube services over the next day or two. We appreciate all your patience”.
When Universal had its big bust up with TikTok earlier this year, its recordings were off the platform for three months, with songs that the major publishes and directly licenses in the digital domain being affected for two months. When it comes to YouTube, Warner Music had a nine month stand off with the Google-owned platform back in 2008 and 2009.
Also in 2009, UK collecting society PRS had a licensing dispute with YouTube that ran from March to September. And German collecting society GEMA refused to licence YouTube for seven years between 2009 and 2016 in a disagreement over acceptable terms. So GEMA definitely wins the long drawn-out licensing dispute competition.
Blackstone-owned SESAC is one of the smaller US collecting societies representing the performing rights in songs. As music videos featuring songs by SESAC represented writers started to be blocked over the weekend, a YouTube spokesperson said “good faith negotiations with SESAC” to renew its licensing deal had failed “despite our best efforts”.
Because SESAC’s dispute with YouTube related to the licensing of song rights, rather than recording rights, YouTube’s takedowns would have impacted artists and record labels with no direct connection to the collecting society if their tracks were co-written by SESAC members, in the same way that Universal’s TikTok spat saw tracks with co-writes pulled.
However, that’s all irrelevant now. “We’re pleased that SESAC reconsidered our offer”, a YouTube spokesperson said last night. “We’ve reached a deal and content will come back up shortly. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this time”.
So short lived was the dispute, SESAC didn't even have chance to start any “YouTube is evil” campaign. SESAC Chief Operating Officer Scott Jungmichel said yesterday evening: “We have reached an agreement with YouTube to equitably compensate SESAC’s songwriters and publishers for the use of their music. We appreciate the support and patience of our affiliates, as well as the artists who perform those songs”.
Jungmichel also confirmed that YouTube’s previous licence didn’t actually expire until today, so this weekend’s takedowns were somewhat premature. But, you know, it ensured we all got to participate in one of the shortest digital licensing disputes in history.