* MUST READ * YouTube’s Heartbreaking Extortion Of Musicians Begins… | Zoë Keating Explains New Rules

Below is the opener, after that – it gets worse…

“My Google Youtube rep contacted me the other day. They were nice and took time to explain everything clearly to me, but the message was firm: I have to decide. I need to sign on to the new Youtube music services agreement or I will have my Youtube channel blocked.
This new music service agreement covers my Content ID account and it includes mandatory participation in Youtube’s new subscription streaming service, called Music Key, along with all that participation entails. Here are some of the terms I have problems with:

1) All of my catalog must be included in both the free and premium music service. Even if I don’t deliver all my music, because I’m a music partner, anything that a 3rd party uploads with my info in the description will be automatically included in the music service too.

2) All songs will be set to “montetize”, meaning there will be ads on them.

3) I will be required to release new music on Youtube at the same time I release it anywhere else. So no more releasing to my core fans first on Bandcamp and then on iTunes.

4) All my catalog must be uploaded at high resolution, according to Google’s standard which is currently 320 kbps.

5) The contract lasts for 5 years.”

Seriously the whole post is an absolute must read, in full, probably at least two or three times to have it all sink in.


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3 thoughts on “* MUST READ * YouTube’s Heartbreaking Extortion Of Musicians Begins… | Zoë Keating Explains New Rules

  1. “the music terms are outdated and the content that you uploaded will be blocked. But anything that we can scan and match from other users will be matched in content ID and you can track it but won’t be able to participate in revenue sharing.”
    Another words, agree to our terrible terms or we turn our backs while others upload your work and we turn a blind eye but profit on every view. That is we essentially steal your work for our profit and give you nothing. This illustrates why our founding fathers saw it necessary to provide creators with “exclusive rights” to their work. This is just one more case showing clearly that the safe harbor provision of the DMCA is in compatible with the copyright clause in the constitution that says creators are entitled to “exclusive rights” over what they produce. For any market to function, there are two things that must exist. One is property rights, and the other is the concept of contract. Property rights mean the creator must have exclusive rights over what they produce. For a contract to exist, both parties must come to an agreement. The way You Tube works is essentially to say; “We will give you something for your work that is so low you would not in your right mind agree to it. If you choose not to take our offer, we will take it and give you nothing, and hide behind a poorly written law that lets us get away with that millions of times each day.” So a creators property rights and right to contract are violated on a massive scale. It is nonsense to suggest there can be a functioning business model where property rights and the right to contract are non existent. Considering that Google now contributes more money than any other entity to politicians and pacs as part of their right to “free speech” hope for justice is bleak.

  2. So our choices are:

    1. Accept lousy deal with Google. Get on the search engine and if you make them real money, you will be in a position to negotiate better terms someday.

    2. Accept lousy deal with major label. Get marketed by part of their marketing stable or not and sign away some of the copyright revenues owed you and access to your other profit activities. If you make them real money, you will be in a position negotiate better terms someday.

    3. Remain an indie. If you have a solid performing base, you keep all the money and sell your own manufactured goods. Promo in social media and use free platforms as best you can. Keep all the copyrights. Access to web is through your own resources or resources owned by some cartel you cook up. Stay away from BMI/ASCAP/SESAC as they will limit your performing venues and since you have no airplay, aren’t paying anyway and if you did they might not pay, aka, the crap shoot.

    Wonderful business.

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