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Meet NewJeans: The K-Pop Group Taking the World by Storm

March 22, 2023

Even if you haven't heard of NewJeans yet, there's a good chance you'll soon be humming along to their infectious tunes. The Korean pop group is quickly gaining international attention and breaking..

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Max Martin: Why a Pop-Hit Songwriter and Producer Created a Musical

March 31, 2023

Even if you don’t know who Max Martin is, you’ve definitely heard his songs. Hit-pop songs are kind of his thing after all. Martin first stepped into the music world in 1985 as a frontman for....

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MANILA GREY: Vancouver's Rising R&B Duo

March 18, 2023

The Filipino-Canadian duo from Vancouver has been releasing new tracks left and right, and they are known for their most streamed songs on Spotify, “Timezones,” and “Silver Skies.” Previously .......

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How did Miley Cyrus’ Heartbreak Song “Flowers” Break the Spotify Record?

March 17, 2023

The singer, songwriter, and actress Miley Cyrus has recently released a record-breaking song called “Flowers” in January 2023. This song recites her 10-year long relationship with her ex-husband....

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Men I Trust: Canada’s DIY Indie Band That Could Be Your New Favourite

March 4, 2023

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie pop band known for their dreamy and mellow sound. Their music is laid back, incorporating elements of funk, disco, and R&B to create a smooth and groovy vibe that is

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Basics For Building an At-Home Recording Studio

March 3, 2023

Artists like Kaytranada have proved that you don’t need access to a professional recording studio to create well-produced music. As technology and social media have advanced, it is now easier than eve

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Facing the Music: Legal Challenges With AI and Copyright Laws

February 25, 2023

People draw inspiration from others when forming their ideas, it’s a fact of life. Sampling in music is no exception - and artists do it for a variety of reasons. Traditionally, copyright laws and

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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance - What Does This Mean for Her Next Album?

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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YouTube Announces New “Creator Music” Platform

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Photo: Youtube

In the wake of Tiktok’s rapid expansion and growing dominance in the short-form video market, YouTube has felt the pressure to adapt to keep up with the shifting demands of its audience and creators.

In its “Made on YouTube” event earlier this month in Los Angeles, the company announced

several updates to the platform that will significantly impact how creators and artists alike share content and earn revenue. Among changes such as expanding access to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), and introducing new monetization models for shorts creators, YouTube is launching “Creator music,” a new storefront in YouTube studio which will allow creators to easily access and license from a catalog of copyright protected music.

Since its launch, YouTube creators have faced a significant hurdle in obtaining permission to use copyrighted music in their videos, with the vast majority opting to use stock music instead in an effort to avoid demonetization. Amjad Hanif, VP of Creator Products at YouTube recognizes this challenge, reporting that “Creators have told us, time and time again, that finding the right song isn’t the hard part. It’s actually figuring out how to license it.”

With this new program, creators have a couple of options on how they can license the music. The first option involves purchasing a single-use license upfront, paying a fee to use the music and earning revenue on their videos as usual. Alternatively, creators can also choose the revenue sharing model which will allow them to split a portion of their video’s revenue with the artists and songwriters themselves with no upfront costs.

This announcement may come as a surprise to some, seeing as YouTube has a decades-long history of lawsuits and friction with labels regarding licensing issues. However, the rise of Tiktok culture in recent years has emphasized more than ever the importance of music in connecting creators and fans. Lyon Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, stepped on stage to discuss the potential benefits this initiative presents for artists. He mentioned that in today’s changing economy, YouTubers have the potential to reach a greater audience than even the largest radio stations. “Creator Music is the future… it’s a win-win-win for artists, songwriters, creators, and fans,” Cohen said. “With Creator Music, artists have a new way to get their music out into the world; fans can now discover music they love on their favorite creator’s channels, and both creators and artists will have new revenue opportunities.”

YouTube announced that Creator Music has already established deals with several indie labels including Empire, Believe, Downtown and Merlin. However, the “Big Three”: Sony Music, Warner Music, and Universal Music have yet to be included. Cohen mentions that “major labels are intrigued” and talks are ongoing.

Creator music is currently being beta tested in the US and is expected to launch in other countries in 2023.

“Music can power that emotional connection between artists, creators and all of their fans,” Hanif said. “We want to strengthen this by offering creators more choices to work with, while at the same time helping artists meet the fans where they already are: right here on YouTube.”