Music videos from Kendrick Lamar, Adele and other artists have been blocked on YouTube in the US due to a licensing dispute with SESAC

YouTube users in the US have reported that they have been unable to access music videos from several popular artists since Saturday (September 28), including Adele, Kendrick Lamar, Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Green Day, Mariah Carey and REM.

The development comes as a result of an ongoing dispute between them YouTube and performance rights organization SESACaccording to YouTube's statements to the press and on social media.

“We have been negotiating in good faith with SESAC to extend our existing contract. “Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach a fair agreement before the deadline,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement MBW.

“We take copyright law very seriously and as a result, the content represented by SESAC is no longer available on YouTube in the United States. We are in active discussions with SESAC and hope to reach a new agreement as soon as possible.”

“Despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach a fair agreement before the deadline.”

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SESAC, which stands for “over.” 35,000 Artist and publisher, is one of the three largest performance rights organizations in the USA ASCAP And BMI. These organizations are responsible for collecting royalties and protecting copyrights on behalf of songwriters and music publishers. But unlike its competitors, SESAC is a for-profit company.

SESAC claims that its commercial nature allows it to “increase licensing efficiency for music users.”

Meanwhile, a source familiar with the situation reportedly said this diversity that YouTube's latest move could be a strategic move in ongoing negotiations with SESAC, as the previous deal between the two parties doesn't expire until next week.

Users have expressed their frustration online. YouTube's official X support account responded to complaints by saying: “[W]We understand this is a difficult situation and our teams continue to work to reach an extension agreement.”

This isn't the first time there's been a standoff between YouTube and a collecting society.

In 2009, the UK-based collecting society for songwriters and publishers PRS signed a licensing agreement with YouTube, which resulted in thousands of music videos returning to the service after a dispute lasting several months.

In 2016, YouTube and the German collecting society GEMA reached a licensing agreement after a seven-year dispute.

MBW has contacted SESAC for comment.

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