Rights and permission on YouTube

This article will explain your rights as a copyright holder when using CD Baby's YouTube Monetization program (AKA YouTube Content ID). It will also explain how to handle Content ID claims when permission has been given for the use of copyrighted content on YouTube.

• Do I still own all my rights if I opt in to CD Baby's YouTube Monetization program?
• I either gave or received permission to use CD Baby artist content on YouTube and the video has a CD Baby claim. 
• What does “Licensed to YouTube by...” mean?
• I’ve found videos on YouTube that use my music. Should I have them taken down?

Do I still own all my rights if I opt into CD Baby's YouTube Monetization program?

Absolutely! You always keep 100% of your rights. We just help you get paid.

Remember, if you opted-in for CD Baby’s YouTube Monetization program you are granting an exclusive license for CD Baby to monetize your music on YouTube. This just means you can only use one company at any given time for YouTube monetization services for a particular release. 

I either gave or received permission to use CD Baby artist content on YouTube and the video has a CD Baby claim. 

In cases like these, we require proof of permission before we can release the CD Baby claim. To provide proof of permission you have two options:

1. The video creator can dispute CD Baby's claim from within their YouTube account. Here's how.

   In the dispute note the video creator should provide a link to documented permission, a license copy, or anything that our Content ID analysts can reference for such permission.

   We suggest using a program such as Google Drive or Dropbox to create a link since you cannot attach a file to your dispute.

   **Important - Our content ID analysts review all disputes received. They will release the claim on the video if proof of permission appears sufficient. If proof of permission is not provided or is inadequate, the claim may be reinstated, so it is very important to include this information.
   
   

2. Provide permission with a support ticket here.

   This option does support attachments. Just be sure the heading "False Claim on YouTube" appears in the top field.

   In that ticket, please provide the following:

   • A brief explanation of how permission was granted 
   • A link to the YouTube video in question
   • A file or link to documentation or a license for use 
   • The artist's contact information, screenshots or anything else that might help us determine that an agreement has been made between yourself and the artist. 

**If you've received a false claim from CD Baby, meaning that the content is ineligible, non-exclusive, royalty free, etc., visit this article to learn more. 

What does “Licensed to YouTube by...” mean?

The businesses and organizations listed in the “Licensed to YouTube by” field are the music rights holders who have agreed to allow YouTube to use identified music in official and user-generated videos, and share in the revenue those videos earn on the platform. For example, if you see an ad on a video that contains music and has “Music in this video” information, the labels and publishers listed under “Licensed to YouTube by” are earning a share of the revenue generated by that ad.

In addition to music labels and publishers whose names you may recognize, you may see that some songs are “Licensed to YouTube by” a number of “music rights societies.” This refers to organizations that collect royalties on behalf of their songwriters and publishers around the world. Just as with individual music publishers, YouTube has license agreements with these entities and shares revenue with them for videos they claim.

Here is an example of what that might look like:

Learn more about this topic in YouTube's Help Center.

I’ve found videos on YouTube that use my music. Should I have them taken down?

No. If you've opted into CD Baby’s YouTube Monetization Program, you can make money from the usage of your music on ANY YouTube video. In fact, you should encourage more of your fans to use your music in their videos on YouTube. This only creates more opportunities to have your music heard and to earn revenue in the process!