YouTube superstar Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson has openly criticized music labels for repeatedly striking videos for using copyrighted material. In a rare Twitter rant, MrBeast went so far as to call out the music labels for “being c**ts” over the issue.
The YouTube copyright debate continues to heat up between original creators and users, especially when it comes to the use of music on the platform. As YouTubers fight to include popular music tracks in their content, some argue that it is ‘stealing’ from original music artists.
For songwriters, it is the potential loss of money. Whereas, for content creators who are struck for using copyrighted content, it could mean having to take profitable videos down or even a suspension.
It is a problem that YouTubers of every size have struggled with, even MrBeast, who hit out at music labels for, as he claims, repeatedly striking material for copyright infringement.
MrBeast hits out at music labels
On May 10, MrBeast posted an unusual tweet in which he panned “major music labels” for continuing to put out copyright strikes against YouTubers.
“A major music label should stop copyright striking YouTubers every opportunity it gets and instead let us use their music,” he claimed. “Then, we YouTubers all rally and get them 10s of billions of impressions on their music for not being c*nts to us.”
Several YouTubers have been affected by issues over copyright claims on the website. For example, former Twitch streamer Ludwig was banned from the platform for playing ‘Baby Shark’ during his stream. Whereas, PewDiePie has previously claimed he can’t even use his own music due to copyright issues.
A major music label should stop copyright striking YouTubers every opportunity it gets and instead let us use their music and then we YouTubers all rally and get them 10s of billions of impressions on their music for not being cunts to us. Thoughts? 😂
— MrBeast (@MrBeast) May 10, 2022
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Musicians criticize MrBeast’s take
MrBeast’s comments however, sparked a fiery debate among his followers coming from both sides of the argument. Several musicians fired back at the YouTuber arguing that “free advertising” is not suitable payment for their work.
One Twitter user criticized MrBeast for the comment given how he makes “$50 mil a year on YouTube” while musicians often struggle to make ends meet: “How about you pay the creators who make your videos great?”
You make $50 mil a year on YouTube. Most musicians are broke. How about you pay the creators who make your videos great. Music makes the world go around.
— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) May 10, 2022
One fan suggested a way that creators could use the music while still providing money to original artists: “YouTube could have a library similar to its audio library where you could license individual songs for usage in a specific video, then the royalties could find their way to artists as well.”
If anything, surely there’s a deal to be made with some of the music labels where YouTube could have a library similar to its audio library where you could license individual songs for usage in a specific video, then the royalties could find their way to artists as well
— Ted Nivison (@TedNivison) May 10, 2022
MrBeast didn’t respond to the counter-arguments, but it’s clear that he hopes to use music in his content to “advertise” artists rather than steal their material. However, with songwriters claiming this isn’t sufficient enough payment for their work, the argument is far from over.