Can You Use Copyrighted Music in Vlogs - at all?

BluMblRdr

BluMblRdr

Blue Marble Rider
I've noticed a few vloggers using music in their vlogs. I do, but mine is all creative commons, although I'd love to use some of my own personal favourites, I'm not sure of the legality. Can you use any part of a song if you give credit or link to a site that sells the song? Cheers, and sorry if this has been answered ad nauseam.
 
You can use what ever you like, just bear in mind it may be blocked in some countries. Meaning for that portion there will be no audio at all.

It will also mean any add revenue (meaning none) will go to the artist / owner of the music you choose.
 
In the US you risked being sued for copyright infringement, and the same may apply in other contries depending on the nature of their treaties and laws.

Fair use of copyrighted material, even if it's for a non-profit cause, or if credit is given, is still illegal and a violation of the copyright owners work. If the owner clearly hasn't placed their work under a creative common's license (or something similar), or you have written permission, you run the risk of a strike on Youtube, or a letter from the copyright owner's lawyer.

In the US copyright violation is a Federal offense. In court if you lose your case you are liable for whatever monetary damages the judge decides, but the legal fees of the accuser as well.

- Wuf
 
@scooterwuf is very knowledgeable on that subject. I learned this from prepping for the small motovlogger interview I did with him. :)

In addition, I have found that you can search YouTube creator area and find a page that allows you to enter a song or artist to see if there has been any permission granted for a song to be used. That is how I was able to use the song I did for my 500 sub giveaway announcement.
 
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BluMblRdr said:
I've noticed a few vloggers using music in their vlogs. I do, but mine is all creative commons, although I'd love to use some of my own personal favourites, I'm not sure of the legality. Can you use any part of a song if you give credit or link to a site that sells the song? Cheers, and sorry if this has been answered ad nauseam.
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Thanks, guys, all good info. I've never heard of the youtube creator area - I'll give it a whirl. Thanks.
 
BluMblRdr said:
Thanks, guys, all good info. I've never heard of the youtube creator area - I'll give it a whirl. Thanks.
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If you are accessing your YouTube channel through Google Chrome, go into Creator Studio, then Create link will be on the left about half down the page. Click on Music Policies and you will find a box to search music.

Hope that helps...
 
R-Rated said:
@scooterwuf is very knowledgeable on that subject. I learned this from prepping for the small motovlogger interview I did with him. :)

In addition, I have found that you can search YouTube creator area and find a page that allows you to enter a song or artist to see if there has been any permission granted for a song to be used. That is how I was able to use the song I did for my 500 sub giveaway announcement.
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Ahh awesome stuff, cheers Anthony, this has saved me posting a vid up which would be blocked in 31 countries (including the UK)
 
HippoDrone said:
Ahh awesome stuff, cheers Anthony, this has saved me posting a vid up which would be blocked in 31 countries (including the UK)
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WOW! What were you going to use and now won't?

Just curious so maybe I could sync it up on your final production kind of like Pink Floyd's The Wall Album and Wizard of Oz...:cool:
 
a song by Seasick Steve, most of his music can sit well on a youtube vid as it isn't too hard and is def not bland like a lot of the generic music. My vid didn't rely on that bit of music, it just fitted with the clip
 
To make it simple.. Don't use it. Even if some music are CC if the creator decides to sell it to another party the music may lose it's CC status even though you used it before it got sold, the new owner can always flex their right to it.

For now I just use whatever is free from the YouTube Audio library as they claim it is free use, bear in mind some of the music requires you to state the artist/song/etc while some do not. Read before you download that particular song to use.
 
I used to use music by a YouTuber called TechnoAxe or somit like that. I've never used the music YouTube offers, but have used music my video editing software has had in the past. I'm really not too keen on the generic music that just repeats itself over and over, it gets very repetitive. If you are unable to monetise vids yet, why not just use music you like and check it the way @R-Rated suggested earlier? Means you can use decent music that fits how you want your vid to sound! :-)
 
EDcase said:
Does anyone use the free music from youtube?
What other sites do you use to get royalty free music?
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99% of the music I use is from YouTube selecting attribution free. They add some more tunes a few months ago.

Some of the artists are better than others in my opinion so it is worth browsing occasionally.
 
I use free music from the YT audio library, soundcloud and have some saved free audio channels on YT.

IF and its a big IF you put songs on your vid then get to the point later in your vlogging life you are able to monetise.. do you get it money for historic videos?

If that is the case and its something you are aiming for it might be worth considerating now as it could potentially stop you getting paid more???
 
you can only gain revenue from videos after you monetise them, it isn't applied retrospectively as it is based on the adverts placed on them from when you reach the threshold, the copyright owner of any music will still claim full monetisation from those videos and you won't get anything. Potentially you may be able to have a deal with the copyright owner of sharing income but small creators will not have that power, only folk like Do It With Dan etc would have the clout to have deals like that.
 
I use Freemusicarchive.org among others. They have links to the artist page where they display their licensing options and formats. I have a feeling that if music is sold to a new owner who changes the copyright status it may not apply to those who had used it when it was under a Creative Commons license. There would be a lot of people calling foul, and I'm not sure a judge would side with the copyright owner if they attempted to enforce their rights on those who used the music under a previous owner and agreement. The Creative Common's lisence is a contract, and an Expressed/Written one at that.

- Wuf
 
scooterwuf said:
I use Freemusicarchive.org among others. They have links to the artist page where they display their licensing options and formats. I have a feeling that if music is sold to a new owner who changes the copyright status it may not apply to those who had used it when it was under a Creative Commons license. There would be a lot of people calling foul, and I'm not sure a judge would side with the copyright owner if they attempted to enforce their rights on those who used the music under a previous owner and agreement. The Creative Common's lisence is a contract, and an Expressed/Written one at that.

- Wuf
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I think Chase on 2 Wheels would disagree, he had copyright strikes on all his videos that he previously had full permission to use and monetise, it nearly cost him his channel!
 
SighBored said:
To make it simple.. Don't use it. Even if some music are CC if the creator decides to sell it to another party the music may lose it's CC status even though you used it before it got sold, the new owner can always flex their right to it.

For now I just use whatever is free from the YouTube Audio library as they claim it is free use, bear in mind some of the music requires you to state the artist/song/etc while some do not. Read before you download that particular song to use.
Click to expand...

Yes there's a great example of that. The Cross Training Enduro Skills guys used to use a music clip called the Elevator Bossa Nova that was creative commons from BenSound in the middle of their vids, now it is no longer CC, their old vids are technically in violation I guess. Good tip using the Youtube library.
 
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Im not sure on the rules in other countries but here you can use whatever you like youtube will just demonetize it and the copy right owner can potentially take revenue from your video post
 
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