Attention music lovers – if you regularly stream your music on YouTube, you might have to shake up your playlist soon. In a few days, the video sharing site will start removing videos from certain independent artists.
YouTube has negotiated contracts with 95% of record labels, but the 5% of indie labels who chose not to comply with YouTube’s new licensing agreements will no longer have their videos on the website.
According to a recent Nielsen survey, 64% of U.S. teenagers use YouTube as their primary means for listening to music. YouTube has been celebrated for being an ideal place for a budding musician to get their start (here’s looking at you, Justin Bieber), and for music fans to discover the next big thing before everyone else.
Remember Gotye’s surprise hit, “Somebody That You Used to Know”? That song didn’t just gain Gotye exposure, it also launched the career of the band Walk Off the Earth who posted a cover of the song on YouTube. With over 158 million views, the video propelled the band into the spotlight and helped them land a contract with Columbia Records.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a single person who didn’t give in and watch Psy’s viral sensation “Gangnam Style.” The video has hit over two billion views, and Psy’s success on YouTube has landed him a comfortable paycheck of $2 million in ad revenue.
For the past decade, YouTube has been a place for anyone and everyone to try and launch their music careers, and people are being exposed to new artists and genres more than ever before. The website gives independent artists a level playing field to break into an increasingly competitive industry.
Indie music enthusiasts are hopeful that YouTube will work with indie labels to work to get their artists’ videos back on YouTube so that everyone can keep finding a new band to love.
In the meantime, check out Mic’s list of 14 artists to get your fix of before they’re taken off the ‘Tube.
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