YouTube to Finally Allow Indie Labels to Stream Videos on YouTube Music Pass Service

Today is the day when the owner of your favorite independent record label is thanking both Adele and independent label licensing agency Merlin. Somewh

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Image via YouTube

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Today is the day when the owner of your favorite independent record label is thanking both Adele and independent label licensing agency Merlin. Somewhere between both parties being potentially hamstrung by YouTube's move toward a more sustainable streaming and licensing agreement regarding it's soon-to-exist subscription model, the streaming video giant has come to an agreement to allow videos by independent artists to stream on the service. Are you a fan of Fool's Gold Records? They're an indie. XL Recordings (where Adele and Jamie xx are signed) are, too. Imagine a YouTube where the video for "Barbra Streisand" and "Rolling In The Deep" couldn't be viewed. That almost happened.

Five months ago, DAD reported about YouTube's decision to block indie videos from being streamed as 95% of the "known"/major-label industry had signed with the video streaming site in support of the soon existing "YouTube Music Pass" service that would require a subscription payment to access videos without advertising. At that time, Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s head of content and business operations said YouTube “was offering all rights holders a good deal,” and that they were “paying them fairly and consistently with the industry,” he said, not disclosing rates and figures.

The deals were apparently not so good as The Financial Times states, "[p]eople familiar with the matter said the deal was signed in recent days following months of acrimonious negotiations, in which YouTube threatened to take down music videos by artists such as Adele and the Arctic Monkeys if its demands were not met."

YouTube and Merlin declined to comment on the deal, but now, with 100% of "known" music rights holders on board, the "soon" rollout prediction of a music service via YouTube as stated by YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki (as quoted at the Code Mobile Conference) certainly shouldn't be too far behind.

(The Verge)

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