Over the weekend, millions of YouTube users were surprised to find that some of their favorite songs and music videos were no longer available on the platform. Instead of hearing familiar hits, they were met with a brief and cryptic message:
“Video unavailable. This video contains content from SESAC. It is not available in your country.”
This message appeared when people tried to stream popular songs like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” or music from other top artists like Kendrick Lamar, Britney Spears, Green Day, Kanye West, and Burna Boy. The removal has left many users frustrated and confused. What caused this sudden disruption, and more importantly, when will the affected music return?
The culprit behind this situation is a licensing dispute between YouTube and a lesser-known but significant organization called SESAC. Here’s what you need to know about SESAC, how this issue came about, and what it might mean for music lovers in the future.
What Is SESAC?
SESAC, or the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, is one of the smaller performance rights organizations (PROs) in the United States. Founded in 1930, the organization plays a critical role in the music industry by managing licensing agreements for the public performance of copyrighted songs. This means that every time a song in its repertoire is played publicly—whether on the radio, in a bar, at a live event, or on digital platforms like YouTube—SESAC ensures that the songwriters and composers are compensated.
While not as large as other organizations like BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) or ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), SESAC boasts an impressive portfolio of artists and songwriters. According to its website, the organization licenses over 1.5 million songs on behalf of its 15,000+ affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The catalog spans multiple genres and includes some of the biggest names in music today.
One of the distinguishing features of SESAC is that it operates as a for-profit entity, unlike BMI and ASCAP, which are non-profits. In 2017, SESAC was acquired by Blackstone, a leading global private equity firm, marking a significant moment in its growth. With Blackstone’s backing, SESAC has continued to expand its influence in the music industry. Despite being smaller than its counterparts, SESAC is known for being selective in its membership, representing major artists like Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, and more recently, contemporary stars like Adele and Burna Boy.
What Led to the Removal of SESAC Music on YouTube?
The sudden disappearance of music licensed by SESAC on YouTube is a direct result of a licensing dispute between YouTube and SESAC. Performance rights organizations like SESAC negotiate licensing agreements with various platforms to ensure that artists, songwriters, and composers are fairly compensated for the public use of their work. These deals typically last for a set period, after which they must be renewed.
In this case, it appears that negotiations between YouTube and SESAC for a new licensing agreement reached an impasse. The previous deal between the two parties has either expired or is about to expire, leading to the removal of SESAC-licensed music from YouTube in the U.S.
YouTube, through its spokesperson Mariana de Felice, released a statement explaining the situation:
“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 U.S. We are in active conversations with SESAC and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.”
This statement highlights that YouTube has tried to renew its agreement with SESAC, but the negotiations have so far been unsuccessful. The company also emphasized that it takes the issue of copyright very seriously, which is why it has chosen to pull the affected content until a new agreement is reached.
However, there’s an interesting twist to the story. According to a report from Variety, which cited an unnamed source familiar with the situation, YouTube’s removal of SESAC-licensed content might actually be a strategic move. The source claimed that the existing licensing deal between YouTube and SESAC doesn’t officially expire until next week, implying that YouTube’s actions could be a way to exert pressure on SESAC during the final stages of their negotiations. If true, this would suggest that the removal of SESAC music could be temporary, with the potential for a new agreement to be reached soon.
How Much Music Is Affected?
Determining the exact scope of music affected by this dispute is not straightforward. SESAC maintains a searchable database of its licensed songs, and there’s even a 44,267-page PDF available on its website that lists the entire catalog. However, not all of the songs in this extensive catalog appear to have been removed from YouTube. The takedowns seem to be selective, with some songs still available in certain formats while others have been blocked entirely.
For example, Kanye West’s song “Power” is one such case where the blocking has been inconsistent. While one version of the song is listed as unavailable on YouTube, the official music video for “Power” is still accessible at the time of this writing. This suggests that not all SESAC-licensed content is being treated the same way, likely due to the complex nature of music licensing agreements, which can vary depending on the type of content and how it is used.
Furthermore, SESAC has not made any public statements about the ongoing negotiations or provided an official list of which songs have been removed. This lack of transparency has left many users in the dark, not knowing whether their favorite tracks are affected or when they might become available again.
When Will the Music Return?
The big question on everyone’s mind is: When will SESAC-licensed music return to YouTube? Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer at the moment. YouTube has expressed its hope for a quick resolution, stating that they are in “active conversations” with SESAC. But until a new agreement is signed, it’s impossible to know when, or even if, the music will be restored.
One thing is clear: both parties stand to lose if the dispute drags on. YouTube, as one of the largest platforms for music streaming, could see a decline in user engagement if a significant portion of popular music remains unavailable. On the other hand, SESAC and its affiliated artists may face a loss of revenue if their music is not being played on such a high-traffic platform.
For now, music lovers in the U.S. are left waiting, hoping that this licensing issue is resolved sooner rather than later. In the meantime, they may need to turn to other platforms or sources to listen to their favorite songs from artists like Adele, Britney Spears, and Kendrick Lamar.
The Bigger Picture: Licensing Disputes in the Digital Age
This latest conflict between YouTube and SESAC is just one example of the broader challenges facing the music industry in the digital age. As more and more people consume music through online platforms, the importance of fair and transparent licensing agreements has never been greater. However, the complexity of these agreements—especially when dealing with multiple rights organizations, different countries, and various platforms—makes disputes like this one almost inevitable.
Platforms like YouTube must constantly renegotiate deals with PROs to ensure that they have the rights to stream music. At the same time, organizations like SESAC must balance their role in protecting the interests of artists and composers while navigating the rapidly changing landscape of digital music consumption.
For now, the SESAC-YouTube dispute serves as a reminder of how fragile access to music can be in a world where so much content is controlled by licensing agreements. As streaming services and digital platforms continue to dominate the way we listen to music, it’s likely that we’ll see more disputes like this in the future.
In the meantime, users and artists alike are left hoping for a swift resolution that brings their favorite songs back to the platform.
