YouTube’s Onerous New Terms For Musicians

Zoe Keating:

My Google Youtube rep contacted me the other day. They were nice and took time to explain everything clearly to me, but the message was firm: I have to decide. I need to sign on to the new Youtube music services agreement or I will have my Youtube channel blocked.

But:

Is such control too much for an artist to ask for in 2015? It’s one thing for individuals to upload all my music for free listening (it doesn’t bother me). It’s another thing entirely for a major corporation to force me to. I was encouraged to participate and now, after I’m invested, I’m being pressured into something I don’t want to do.

She doesn’t explain why she actually doesn’t want to do it. She’s already chosen to put all her music out there for free, so why not put it all on YouTube too? Other musicians will be in the same boat, so her fans won’t single her out for appearing to cash in. Without any further explanation, her motive seems juvenile.