YouTube could block indie artists who don't pay for their streaming service

by Mark Teo

June 18, 2014

0

0

0

0

0

Email this article to a friend

While Rdio and Spotify jostle for their place in the digital music market, YouTube is still the world’s top music streaming service. Now, the Google-owned company has announced that they’re unveiling a tiered, subscription-based streaming service—in which, for a fee, you’ll be able to access YouTube’s licensed library ad-free.

This, of course, seems like a good thing: It’ll allow listeners to rid themselves of pesky pre-roll, allow musicians and record labels to get paid directly, and position YouTube as a prime streaming service. The subscription service is in its testing phases, and could be rolled out later this year. According to Mashable, the service seems set to rival Rdio or Spotify—users can stream songs on demand, while downloading select songs for offline usage.

The Guardian, meanwhile, notes that YouTube has already secured licensing deals with major labels like Universal, Sony, and Warner. Sounds good, right? Well, not so fast.

The Worldwide Independent Network, or WIN, say that YouTube is approaching independent labels with a template, non-negotiable licensing contract. These terms—which the Guardian called “inferior”—come with a threat: Sign the licensing contract, or have your videos removed from the entire platform.

Indie labels, for their part, haven’t been taking this well—Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s global head of business (pictured at the top of this page), confirmed with Mashable that 90 per cent of the music industry has co-operated, with many independents holding out.

So, why would independent labels hold out? “Our members are small businesses who rely on a variety of income streams to invest in new talent,” said WIN’s Alison Wenham, in a press release. “They are being told by one of the largest companies in the world to accept terms that are out of step with the marketplace for streaming.”

If YouTube does end up blocking independent artists, it could end up being a massive mistake—the platform is currently used by countless musicians and labels as a promotional tool. Curiously, sources have noted that artists as big as Adele, Jack White, and Arctic Monkeys could have their music removed from YouTube—meaning even bigger-name artists may be impacted.

In essence, YouTube might be removing content that has been instrumental to their success as a music streaming service. Will it be a major blunder? We’ll keep you updated on any new developments.

 

 

Tags: Tech, News, youtube

0

0

0

0

0

Email this article to a friend