Make a Deal with Music Licensing Companies
Have you considered making a deal with music licensing companies (BMI, ASCAP, etc) to allow streamers permission to use their catalogs if we opt to pay them (or you?) a small monthly fee for this right/service?

25 comments
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spicyaesthetics commented
Since Amazon, the owner of Twitch is wealthy, why not use said wealth on buying licenses to use music on stream and on VODs as well.
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grubbshub commented
I contacted BMI about purchasing licensing and they responded "Thank you for reaching out to BMI. BMI currently has license agreements in place with Facebook/Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch for the public performance of BMI's repertoire on their respective platforms. Currently, there is no need for you to obtain a separate BMI License.
In order to use sound recordings and/or music in conjunction with visual images (i.e. film, video, DVD’s, slide presentations, etc.), you may need to acquire permission from the applicable music publishers and record labels for additional rights including synchronization rights. For your convenience, publisher contact information for songs in the BMI Repertoire is available on our website. Please contact the publishers directly for these rights. Unfortunately, I cannot advise you beyond the scope of a BMI license.
Thank you"
I don't know if it is purposefully vague but it SOUNDS like we're good as long as it isn't recorded?
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GeorgeHopkins commented
One issue with DMCA/Copyright strikes is that many people don't understand how to legally acquire music rights for streaming - I propose that this process is streamlined such that users can buy or use certain music easily for their stream, track how long they're allowed to/terms of the agreement, and have access to the limited use of those tracks.
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Clownspaz commented
I have permission from a record label to use the music they produce who do i get in contact with?
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XORCIST_official commented
Actually... Twitch... What are you doing? You HAVE AN ASCAP LICENSE! I checked. Legally, we, the users, are allowed to LIVESTREAM DJ/VJ sets as well as have music on in the background with the caveat that after the stream, we can not save or archive the VOD file. That's it. So why is this an issue here?
I can only guess you're somehow obtaining a revenue flow from the music industry and you're getting strong-armed? DMCA should not even be an issue here. How do I know? Because I used to run a website with an ASCAP license that's how. The only rule was you couldn't play certain artists in a row or perhaps a live concert recording of them. So seriously.... what's going on here?
As for MixCloud, yes, that $15 a month most likely is going to what's called a SYNCHONIZATION LICENSE which is what you need to legally archive such recordings.
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OnigirisConPebre commented
taria güeno
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DaleCaro commented
as in other services, i mean all the streamers can opt to pay around $15usd monthly for get licenced music
in mexico the cost is around $200usd for INDAUTOR , maybe some of this organizations as ASCAP / BMI can be happy for get a "fair payment" from streamers
ej. $15usd x 1,000,000 Streamers = 15 mill month, im not sure if this is a bad "bussines" for the cited organizations
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djosofresh commented
To the folks who think its difficult to get liscencing permissionm i ask, how did Mixcloud do it? with a monthly fee of $15, you can stream without interruption and without any copyright issues... Their onlydrawbackis not beingable to save the video of your stream... yet... it's doable
side note: every artist or musician i know personally (in the hundreds) many with music selling worldwide have said they have no issues with DJs spinning their music live, but you cant give individual copyright permission and the muting on some random "we're playing it safe and muting this portion" ********. I know people who have gotten muted for playing their own music
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Pteraspidomorphi commented
There is a single industry association responsible for this mess - the RIAA. They're the ones using literal botnets to send thousands of strikes against content producers all over the internet. Since it's just one entity, I'm sure it's possible to reach a deal that's favorable to all parts. Compliance with the law for takedowns sent by smaller, less aggressive labels can be achieved in the normal manner.
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ThomasHarrell commented
The problem is that how the music industry collects and licenses music is a minefield. You cannot simply purchase a license for "all of Twitch to stream your music". If Twitch buys a license, it covers only a narrow circumstance. If a streamer on Twitch uses that music, well per the music industry they need a different type of license (and the cost of that is ridiculous). Their entire business model at this point seems to be based on how many people they can smash in court rather than being cooperative.
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ImpendingDuff commented
Can you please just pay the labels for licensing already? This is getting really old. The artists want us to play their music.
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busybyte commented
So many people would be so happy about this solution.
Twitch, copyright-holders, creators, audience, and most of the music-industry.
Most of us streamers and /or dj's are absolutely willing to pay for legal streaming, but there's still no option. -
Mavyre commented
Seems to be ongoing in France with the national pro
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micksdiscofever commented
I am new to Twitch as a Mobile DJ (weddings etc) which I found out is part of my Amazon Prime. I play music from 50's through to present day. Having no work at all since March and still no end in sight, I saw streaming as a way to keep my hand in, to keep contact through music with Family and Friends and my followers from Social media (200), and help these people through this pandemic therefore improving their health and well-being. Make no mistake about this metal health problems are going to be massive. I have spoken to public performance licenses who tell me I can stream through my own website (but would need a platform to do this - don't think I can use you?) and pay a fee of £70 (6 months) or £140 (12 Months). For me as an amatuer DJ a bit expensive with no income but I would pay it. I wasn't told I need to send PPL a playlist so my fee is just split between 1000's of record companies. When streaming through Facebook a few months ago (70 listening) I had a niece and husband sat in their hot tub with a glass of wine, enjoying music I have PAID for and with compilation CD's over the years have 2 or 3 copies of the same track. What good was I doing during lockdown to help them?How much more do these artists, record companies want?
I've got everything set up with you and people love my streams every few weeks but now the big boys are threatening us. Great!! We are ALL in unprecedented times. If DJ's are charging a subscription and have 1000's listening then could they not pay a slightly higher PPL licence if using copyrighted music but as there is already a licence in place with PPL. Why can't Twitch allow us to pay for a licence through you or give you are Licence number we have purchased and not be taken down. I will otherwise have to pay a fee x3 higher per month than your site to stream through my website with the correct PPL licence. When all I need is a licence and you're happy with 100 times less work with DMCA notification/Strikes, The record companies/Artist get their money and I am helping the mental health of friends and family. -
shanam commented
True
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VirtualNightclub commented
I have serious doubts that Mixcloud is legally licensed in the United States.
Either they have somehow secured agreements with every record label both domestic and foreign (which is very unlikely unless they have a team of full-time attorneys) or else they are operating under the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board statutory license and paying SoundExchange $500 per channel.
According to the SoundExchange site, it would appear to be the latter at first glance:
https://www.soundexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2018-Jan-Mar-Licensee-List.pdf
However, it raises the question how Mixcloud possibly offsets the annual $500 per channel license fee to SoundExchange with a meager $15 membership fee per broadcaster. Something about that arrangement isn't adding up.
What is really needed is a long-term solution for the entire industry, not a stopgap that is service-specific.
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QuiteRightRecords commented
Mixcloud did the dirty work for DJ mixes that were getting taken down everywhere else and has launched Mixcloud Live where you can livestream your sets and have an audio version after. Their biggest hurdle is storing the sets, but all of the copyright and licensing is done in their technology that they developed. Twitch should team with up with Mixcloud and work together to solve this issue especially in this changing landscape of music and streams.
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Alezoonta commented
I have the appropriate APRE local license to play protected music, stream online, post online videos with said content and there is no way to notify twitch. There should be a way to connect my license which i have paid handsomely for. Its ridiculous there arent any ways to tie it to my license and having to appeal 20-30 songs each VOD is painful. I have the right, why is it so hard.
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Rizotochaud commented
Well, Facebook Gaming did it for their partner streamers, and now they can freely use music from Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Kobalt Music Group, BMG Publishing, Merlin... that makes a pretty large choice of popular artists.
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brykanst commented
use that ad revenue that you are forcing to "benefit" streamers to contact every label and make agreements with them greedy little *****