Music videos pulled from YouTube in copyright dispute

Music videos by the likes of Adele and Nirvana have been blocked on YouTube in North America due to an ongoing copyright dispute.

The video-sharing platform has failed to reach an agreement with licensing company SESAC to renew its contract, leaving many videos unplayable in the US, including Smells Like Teen Spirit by grunge legends Nirvana.

Viewers are met with the following message: "This video contains content from SESAC. It is not available in your country."

YouTube has promised to resolve the dispute "as soon as possible".

In a statement to Variety, it said: "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."

Hundreds of videos have been affected, including those by Green Day, Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar and R.E.M.

TikTok and Universal Music Group were locked in a similar dispute after the major label had all of its artists music removed from the video platform due to concerns about AI and royalties.

However, they came to an agreement in May, with TikTok vowing to "deliver improved remuneration for UMG's songwriters and artists, new promotional and engagement opportunities for their recordings and songs and industry-leading protections with respect to generative AI".

It was agreed that the music would return to the site, and the ByteDance-owned site promised "new monetisation opportunities utilising TikTok's growing e-commerce capabilities", while "supporting UMG's artists across genres and territories globally".