Nuked Hey there, tech enthusiasts! Nuked here, ready to dive into some juicy news from the world of music streaming. Buckle up!
So, it looks like a number of popular tracks have mysteriously vanished from YouTube and YouTube Music. If you tried to jam out to Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” or tunes from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Britney Spears, or Green Day over the weekend, you were met with a frustrating message: “Video unavailable. This video contains content from SESAC. It is not available in your country.” Not quite the musical experience one would hope for, right?
This brings us to two burning questions: What exactly is SESAC? And when can we expect our favorite music to return? Well, SESAC stands for the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers. Established back in 1930, this organization currently represents over 1.5 million songs from more than 15,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. While it may not be as large as its counterparts BMI and ASCAP, SESAC boasts a roster of big-name artists. Fun fact: it was snagged by the private equity firm Blackstone in 2017!
Now, as for when those missing tracks will make their grand return—well, that’s a bit trickier to pin down. SESAC does have a searchable database where you can check their repertoire, but not every song listed seems to be affected. If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s even a whopping 44,267-page PDF available on their site with the full list. But here’s the kicker: while Kanye West’s “Power” may be blocked for some users, the music video version is still streaming like nothing happened!
SESAC hasn’t made any public statements about this situation, but YouTube did share some insights with The Verge. A spokesperson named Mariana de Felice mentioned that they’ve been trying to negotiate a new deal with SESAC but haven’t reached an agreement yet. They take copyright seriously, which is why SESAC content has gone dark on YouTube in the US for now. However, they’re optimistic and are actively working towards a new deal.
Interestingly enough, an unnamed source told Variety that this might just be a negotiation tactic from YouTube since the previous deal reportedly doesn’t expire until next week. So, we might just see those tracks back sooner than expected!
Stay tuned for updates as we keep our fingers crossed for our favorite tunes to return! Until next time, keep rocking out!
