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YouTube Removes Songs Due to SESAC Dispute
Morphic Research

YouTube has recently removed a significant number of songs from its platform due to a licensing dispute with SESAC, a performance rights organization. This dispute has affected the availability of music from prominent artists such as Adele, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Green Day, and Mariah Carey, among others, on YouTube and YouTube Music in the United States , .

SESAC, which stands for the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, is a performance-rights organization similar to BMI and ASCAP. It represents over 1.5 million songs and is responsible for collecting royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers .

The removal of these songs is due to an expired licensing agreement between YouTube and SESAC. YouTube has stated that they are in "active conversations" with SESAC to resolve the issue and restore the music to their platform .

This situation has left many fans frustrated, as they encounter messages indicating that the content is not available due to the ongoing dispute. The legal conflict highlights the complexities and challenges of digital music licensing in the streaming era .

Visual Context

A smartphone displays the TikTok logo against a gradient background, highlighting the app's prominence in the music and social media landscape amidst ongoing disputes involving platforms like YouTube and SESAC.

A person with curly hair is sitting at a wooden table with a microphone, appearing to weigh options between SESAC, ASCAP, and BMI, as represented by their logos displayed around them.

These images emphasize the broader context of music rights and digital distribution, illustrating the ongoing challenges faced by platforms like YouTube in navigating licensing agreements with organizations such as SESAC.