Report: Major artists to have videos blocked on YouTube

The reluctance of a host of independent record labels to sign up for YouTube’s upcoming subscription service could see works by major artists being banned from the video site, according to Sky News.

The site has been accused over offering unfair terms in the contracts toward the indie labels, versus those offered to the larger corps, such as Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner.

Should the reluctance-to-sign continue, it could mean the likes of The XX, Jungle, Arctic Monkeys, Jessie J and Adele will have their videos removed until further notice. YouTube are currently in the late stages of completing work on their paid-for streaming service, to battle market leaders Spotify, Deezer and Rhapsody; according to Sky News, “the new paid-for service will enable users to watch videos or listen to music without any adverts, on any device, even if it is not connected to the internet.”

The American Association of Independent Music have appealed to the US’s Federal Trade Commission to prevent YouTube from blocking independent content, based on the grounds the video-streaming site’s contract “constitutes abuse of a dominant position with regard to the digital music and video streaming market”.

More as we hear it.