SESAC Dispute Leads to YouTube Music Revenue Loss

SESAC Causes Music Disappearances on YouTube

Some of the most watched and listened to music on YouTube and YouTube Music disappeared on Saturday, replaced by a short message:

• Video unavailable
• This video contains content from SESAC. It is not available in your country.

This is probably not what people expected when they tried to stream Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” or other songs from artists as varied as Kendrick Lamar, Britney Spears, Green Day, Kanye West, and Burna Boy.

Understanding SESAC's Impact on Music Streaming

SESAC stands for the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, established in 1930. It currently manages licensing for over 1.5 million songs on behalf of its more than 15,000 affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Although it is smaller than major organizations like BMI and ASCAP, SESAC boasts a roster of prominent artists.

In 2017, SESAC was acquired by Blackstone. Determining the timeline for the SESAC music ban on YouTube and YouTube Music is complex. While SESAC provides a searchable database of its repertoire, not all listed songs appear to have been removed from the platform. Additionally, reports indicate that while some songs are blocked, others remain available.

YouTube's Response to the SESAC Situation

The licensing organization has not made an official statement. However, a YouTube spokesperson commented, stating:

We have held good faith negotiations with SESAC to renew our existing deal. Unfortunately, despite 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.

According to unnamed sources, this could also be a negotiation tactic by YouTube, as details emerged that the prior agreement doesn't expire until next week.