Tag Archives | Warner Music Group

Copyright Hits New Low as WMG Silences "Forget You" Sign Language Video [Update: It's Back]

[Update: The audio is back, and WMG’s copyright notice is gone. Original post below.]

Iunderstand that record labels need to protect their copyrights, but sometimes, they ought to make exceptions, as with this sign language adaptation of Cee-Lo’s “Forget You” (as the PG-13 version is known).

The YouTube video, put together by a college student named Anna, has been viewed over 1.3 million times since she uploaded it in December. As the audio track plays in the background, Anna delivers the lyrics with emphatic sign language.

Only now, the audio part is gone, thanks to Warner Music Group. In its place is a notice: “This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by WMG. The audio has been disabled.”

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Warner Music Signs Deal with eMusic

One of my biggest beefs with eMusic is its music selection. While it does have some tracks from popular artists, most of the tracks on the service are poorly done remakes. I could add to it that they way they label these tracks make you think it’s the real thing but I do digress…

Anyway, eMusic took a step forward Tuesday by striking a deal with Warner Music Group to bring 10,000 catalog albums to the service. Unfortunately, it does not include newer tracks, but it should come as welcome news to eMusic’s 400,000-plus subscribers.

In addition, the deal will allow eMusic to stream Warner’s music on the service, something the company has set as a goal for 2010. Sony Music is the only other major label on the service although CEO Danny Stein told Reuters that it is still working to strike deals with EMI and Universal.

No word was given on the progress of those talks.

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