GOOGLE’s announcement of the launch of music streaming subscription service YOUTUBE MUSIC KEY was blunted by music industry power player IRVING AZOFF, who told the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER that he is prepared to remove the music of 42 of his clients — including THE EAGLES, PHARRELL WILLIAMS, BOSTON, FOREIGNER, JOHN LENNON, SMOKEY ROBINSON, CHRIS CORNELL and GEORGE and IRA GERSHWIN — representing some 20,000 copyrighted works from the YOUTUBE ecosystem, including the new MUSIC KEY.
The former LIVE NATION Chairman, AZOFF’s new venture, GLOBAL MUSIC RIGHTS (GMR), aims to generate higher performance rights royalties for songwriters. Traditionally, those rights have been handled by ASCAP and BMI, which have been hamstrung by consent decrees with the JUSTICE DEPARTMENT that requires a license be given whenever an outlet requests it.
“The way fans listen to music is evolving daily,” AZOFF said. “GMR is going to give songwriters and publishers an opportunity to engage in meaningful licensing for their intellectual property. The trampling of writers’ rights in the digital marketplace without any regard to their contribution to the creative process will no longer be tolerated.”
YOUTUBE has already with both major labels on sound recording rights and more recently …Read More