Covers on YouTube?

[irpacynot]

Ever had issues with posting a cover song on YouTube (takedown notice)?

[FranklyFlawless]

Never. Back in the dark ages, I used to upload piano covers/rearrangements of video game music on YouTube.

[an-electric-heart]

Never takedowns, but it's pretty standard to immediately get copyright struck, and I don't care about that, that's more than fair.

[irpacynot]

Never takedowns, but it's pretty standard to immediately get copyright struck, and I don't care about that, that's more than fair.

When you say copyright struck, you mean instructed that the content can only be used under certain circumstances, or you receive a strike against your account?

[osiris]

You have to be careful with your metadata. List everyone even the music publisher.

[an-electric-heart]

Never takedowns, but it's pretty standard to immediately get copyright struck, and I don't care about that, that's more than fair.

When you say copyright struck, you mean instructed that the content can only be used under certain circumstances, or you receive a strike against your account?

Actually, it's a "content ID claim", it means they allow it, but ads get put on my videos and the copyright owner gets paid all the ad revenue.

[CrystalWizard]

i was so buzzy last nite i read this as covers you want to do. Which is more interesting to me but this thread is not about me
From everything i read and hear the five major labels are a bunch of bloodthirsty parasites and you tube is happy to help out.
So, lots of strikes and takedowns often over questionable bs, such as whomever directing the takedown not having the rights. Things like background music in a yoga video (not covered by their copyright. This has only happened to a few people that i know so maybe things are just chill and it was isolated instances. s/

[Songwriter101]

I have a german channel called lokale Talente (local talents) and I record only covers. No problem so far. I can't monetize any videos of course but it works.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

You have to be careful with your metadata. List everyone even the music publisher.

Not true. Maybe even a bad idea as even a small channel is apt to get take down notices from certain publishers if you make it that easy.

I have been doing this for years. Straight up covers that sound nearly identical to extreme interpretations that never even got claimed. A few years ago there was even a third party....We Are The Hits that would actually claim it for you then split the money with the actual copyright holder. Not sure if they are still around.

I know no one asked but in my opinion the money should be shared. In most cases I would rather see a cover and these folk put alot of effort into it and it is pure passive income for the original publisher. Kinda like a mechanical licencse to cover a tune in audio. Alot are cheap if not free. The real bitch is that when video is involved it becomes a sync licence and most of the old school publishhers were never set up for it. So it is nearly imposible to get a sync license from them because they dont have the admin for it. For now it is really free money to them until it aint.

For those morons managing The Eagles, G n R ,ACDC etc......your music will die a reasonably quick death if you continue to aggressively take down cover vids.


I do like the idea of including that info as well as pointing folk to the original. But dont belive it helps your case.

[CrystalWizard]

You have to be careful with your metadata. List everyone even the music publisher.

Not true. Maybe even a bad idea as even a small channel is apt to get take down notices from certain publishers if you make it that easy.

I have been doing this for years. Straight up covers that sound nearly identical to extreme interpretations that never even got claimed. A few years ago there was even a third party....We Are The Hits that would actually claim it for you then split the money with the actual copyright holder. Not sure if they are still around.

I know no one asked but in my opinion the money should be shared. In most cases I would rather see a cover and these folk put alot of effort into it and it is pure passive income for the original publisher. Kinda like a mechanical licencse to cover a tune in audio. Alot are cheap if not free. The real bitch is that when video is involved it becomes a sync licence and most of the old school publishhers were never set up for it. So it is nearly imposible to get a sync license from them because they dont have the admin for it. For now it is really free money to them until it aint.

For those morons managing The Eagles, G n R ,ACDC etc......your music will die a reasonably quick death if you continue to aggressively take down cover vids.


I do like the idea of including that info as well as pointing folk to the original. But dont belive it helps your case.

[osiris]

I'm just speaking from my own experience. I really don't do YT but I put a video of a Kylie Minogue remix I did up & a few days later there's a message on YT. Not a comment, a message. So I click and see the address line is Sony Music Group and I'm thinking this is either a takedown notice or they're going to sue me. But all it said was : 'Could you please put Sony Music in the Publisher line of your metadata. Thanks.' That was it. Did it immediately. I'm always very careful to research who wrote, who sings, and I put that in the metadata. Another good thing about Audacity because after you want to Save a wave an editable metadata box pops up that you can fill in.

[CrystalWizard]

I'm just speaking from my own experience. I really don't do YT but I put a video of a Kylie Minogue remix I did up & a few days later there's a message on YT. Not a comment, a message. So I click and see the address line is Sony Music Group and I'm thinking this is either a takedown notice or they're going to sue me. But all it said was : 'Could you please put Sony Music in the Publisher line of your metadata. Thanks.' That was it. Did it immediately. I'm always very careful to research who wrote, who sings, and I put that in the metadata. Another good thing about Audacity because after you want to Save a wave an editable metadata box pops up that you can fill in.

Fascinating, i've not heard that before. Good on you that you're diligent with the credits (not just because of legal stuff).

[irpacynot]

Actually, it's a "content ID claim", it means they allow it, but ads get put on my videos and the copyright owner gets paid all the ad revenue.

Yes, thank you. That's typically what I read when uploading a cover song. I've never before this incident had them take it down and give me a strike against my account. And yeah, it was for a Don Henley cover.

[irpacynot]

You have to be careful with your metadata. List everyone even the music publisher.

Not true. Maybe even a bad idea as even a small channel is apt to get take down notices from certain publishers if you make it that easy.

I have been doing this for years. Straight up covers that sound nearly identical to extreme interpretations that never even got claimed. A few years ago there was even a third party....We Are The Hits that would actually claim it for you then split the money with the actual copyright holder. Not sure if they are still around.

I know no one asked but in my opinion the money should be shared. In most cases I would rather see a cover and these folk put alot of effort into it and it is pure passive income for the original publisher. Kinda like a mechanical licencse to cover a tune in audio. Alot are cheap if not free. The real bitch is that when video is involved it becomes a sync licence and most of the old school publishhers were never set up for it. So it is nearly imposible to get a sync license from them because they dont have the admin for it. For now it is really free money to them until it aint.

For those morons managing The Eagles, G n R ,ACDC etc......your music will die a reasonably quick death if you continue to aggressively take down cover vids.


I do like the idea of including that info as well as pointing folk to the original. But dont belive it helps your case.

How do you advise I should proceed in the future? And are there any telltale signs to suggest a artist/publisher does not allow their content to be covered when you upload a cover to YouTube? Honestly, I only have a handful of subs, so I wouldn't get any money right now anyway. So, I don't care how much of the advertising income they take.

[an-electric-heart]

Actually, it's a "content ID claim", it means they allow it, but ads get put on my videos and the copyright owner gets paid all the ad revenue.

Yes, thank you. That's typically what I read when uploading a cover song. I've never before this incident had them take it down and give me a strike against my account. And yeah, it was for a Don Henley cover.

Yip. Apparently the Eagles are super aggressive when it comes to their music on Youtube. I remember Ric Beato doing a video about it.
Edit: He might talk about it here.