If you’ve been browsing YouTube Music for the past day or two, you may have noticed that some of the most popular tunes had been taken down by something called “SESAC.” Fortunately, if you revisit the affected videos now, everything is back to normal. So, what on earth is SESAC, and why did they take down popular music tracks for a day?
Why SESAC Took Down Popular Music Videos
The problems began on September 29th, when YouTube was having issues with the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers—or “SESAC,” as we more familiarly know it. YouTube and SESAC had a deal that allowed the former to host the latter’s music on their website, which allowed people to watch popular music videos for free.
Similar to other music deals, this one had an expiration date set for October 1st, 2024. YouTube hadn’t managed to strike a new deal, and the deadline was fast approaching. To prepare for the worst-case scenario, YouTube pre-emptively blocked the affected music videos so they didn’t get in trouble for streaming music they didn’t have the rights to. If you wanted to see popular music videos from SESAC like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” you were out of luck.
How the Songs Came Back to YouTube
Fortunately, by the time you’ve read this, the issues with the SESAC deal have been ironed out. YouTube has arrived at an agreement, and all of the affected music videos have returned. In a statement to The Verge, the SESAC performing rights president and COO Scott Jungmichel helped clear things up:
“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. During our negotiations with YouTube, our affiliates’ works were unilaterally removed by YouTube ahead of the contract end date of October 1, 2024. YouTube has begun the process of reinstating videos featuring these songs.”
The block may still affect some songs, but they should return to normal once YouTube finally unblocks them. While you wait, why not check out our analysis of the new YouTube Music AI radio service?
