Fix Expired Licenses: Missing YouTube Songs Due to SESAC Compliance Issues

YouTube Music’s SESAC Licensing Dispute: What’s Missing and What’s Next

Imagine firing up your favorite music streaming service, only to find that a significant chunk of your favorite songs are no longer available. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many YouTube Music users in the US, thanks to a licensing dispute with SESAC, a prominent music licensing organization.

The Problem

Over the past day, YouTube Music users have encountered songs marked with an exclamation mark that cannot be played or tapped in the list view. On top of that, a fullscreen Now Playing error message appears, stating that the song is not available in your country due to content from SESAC.

What’s SESAC All About?

SESAC represents songwriters and publishers’ copyrighted musical works, ensuring that they receive fair compensation for their creations. In essence, whenever music is performed, played, or broadcast to the public, a license from the copyright holder is required.

The Impact

Affected albums still appear in YouTube Music artist pages, but nearly every song is gone. Newer music remains available, but fans are left wondering what’s happened to their favorite tracks. Adele, for example, has seen her earlier albums affected, with most songs removed.

YouTube’s Statement

YouTube has issued a statement regarding the situation, stating that its music license agreement with SESAC has expired without a renewal agreement in place. As a result, the company has blocked content on YouTube in the US associated with SESAC, in accordance with copyright law.

"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."

What’s Next?

As the situation unfolds, we’ll be keeping a close eye on developments. In the meantime, we encourage you to share which songs, albums, and artists are missing for you. Let’s work together to find a solution to this licensing dispute and get your favorite tunes back on YouTube Music!

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