Life Lesson Learned--Never Use Copyrighted Music in your YouTube Video

 Life Lesson Learned--Never Use Copyrighted Music in your YouTube Video

By, Cassandra George Sturges

I want to share with you a life lesson, I learned about using copyrighted music. In a few of my YouTube videos, I used music from James Brown, Waylon Jennings, and Barry White a few years ago.

My understanding was that any monies from those videos would go to their record companies. I don’t know why—but I was totally 100% cool with this arrangement. I feel like I love their music so much, they are popular and I am not--- no problem.

While checking my status on Social Blade, I noticed that Sony BMG  network claimed ownership of my YouTube channel and this absolutely blew my mind.  ( I check frequently—so this was a new development) There was no agreement between Sony BMG  and myself; and as far as I know, they are not the owners of any of the music that I used in my  3-4-year old YouTube videos with copyrighted music.

I wrote Social Blade, inquiring about the recent claim on my YouTube channel. Social Blade explained to me that some of my YouTube videos contain copyrighted music. They told me to remove those videos and then contact them again.

I removed the videos immediately, contacted Social Blade and within minutes, the claim was removed from my YouTube Channel.

I learned a very valuable lesson,  I never saw anything wrong with giving up any and all monies associated with 6 of my YouTube videos with copyrighted music—until they wanted monetary ownership of my entire YouTube Channel.  

All of the money, time, and energy that I put into creating my videos, I should have looked for royalty free music. I spent over two weeks looking for music that would have the same sexy, soulful vibration as Barry White and James Brown.

The YouTube Video of DeMatter and Nebula floating through the clouds was inspired by  one of my favorite Waylon Jennings songs, “Come With Me.”  

It was so frustrating looking for royalty free music--, but I found a few songs and artists that I now love. One of my favorite YouTube Audio Library musicians is Silent Partners. Their music is awesome!!!!

Long story short, everything happens for a reason. When I was not uploading videos twice a week—no one cared about my YouTube channel, however, when I started submitting videos consistently—someone attempted to take everything before there was any financial compensation.

Truth be told,  I wouldn’t have noticed because, I started making DIY craft tutorial videos as a way to maintain my sanity by sharing what I love to do with others. I think this is how so many artists and athletes get into financial trouble. We love what we do so much that we forget to handle our business.

If you are reading this, please cross your T’s and dot your I’s. You don’t know who is watching you to lay claim on all of your hard work. 

Moreover, don’t use copyrighted music on your work under the contractual agreement that  the record company  is paid every dime from the video and you get zero. I can’t believe that I thought this arrangement was okay.

Any who…

After submitting my final grades for my summer classes, I will be in Ventopia, typing Jungle Beauty Goddesses book 3  “Aquatic Ball;” sewing a new body for Jungle Beauty Goddess Sinai and Dr. Lunar M. Crater (AKA) Mr. Moon Man Lover.

After, I remake these characters; I will focus my energy on creating Episode 7 of the Jungle Beauty Goddesses YouTube Series based on their book series.

Each every Monday,  I will publish an excerpt from the Jungle Beauty Goddesses Series, Book 1 “Pretty Blue Ball.”