I am a music blogger-I love Music- I am a criminal
Every time I feature a YouTube video with no permission-I risk committing a criminal act. The artists and/or other companies that have rights to this video must allow me to post their stuff or I am walking that “breaking bad” line.
Does it matter that every human being with access to the web will hit up YouTube to check music they have interest in but do not own?
Do 8,000,000 views and a label of “official” mean anything?
I am seriously asking the question.
I do not want to look at my cell mate of the near future and tell him I am doing 5 to 10 because Robert Plant had taken issue with the 7 like buttons on my “Stairway to Heaven” post. “Yeah, I posted it and did not even flinch when I hit that publish button, I am one bad-ass blogger!”
I need more, it is an addiction.
I love to feature music and then talk about it and possibly even argue about it in that polite WordPress way with three or four smiley faces. And I don’t make any “big faces” doing this. It is done simply for the love of music.
So I ask again-Are us music bloggers all criminals?
Cave of Fame 
My feeling is that, unless you’re making money as a direct result of those embedded YouTube clips, you’re not committing any crimes. Since most of us bloggers are doing this for the sole purpose of sharing our love of music with others and are most likely not making a dime at it, the worst that can happen is that a copyright owner asks you to remove the offending clip.
I hope this eases your mind.
Thank Rich…I have not even made a penny- so I need ten of them to get to my first WordPress dime!
Geez I hope we’re not criminals. I too love to feature music and talk about it. I do it on a daily basis. Since I tend to review albums that I own, and since I like most albums that I own, my site is slightly geared towards positive/glowing reviews. Ergo, I think I can take credit for a few CD sales. My comments section will attest to that more than a couple times.
So in short, I agree with peacelovegreatcountrymusic. They can bite me if it’s an issue. I’d prefer that instead they throw me a free CD or two in gratitude and I’d happily review them!
Thanks Mike, another vote for the “bite me” plan on imbedded links. That may be the answer. It just bothers me that they let us go but reserve the right to come after us from the way the law is written. But what do I know …I am a fan and a blogger…not a lawyer.
I have always felt personally that any transgressions I’ve committed electronically via a download or a youtube “share” has been paid for 100 fold by the amount of albums I’ve bought (multiple times) and merchandise and tickets and all that…
Not that I feel entitled, but I have given those labels and artists a lot of my money.
I’ll post whatever I choose and they can bite me if it’s an issue. If I’m promoting their artist, I don’t see anyone having a problem with it. If there was, someone would find a way to not embed to the link.
Thanks, I am not sure if the “bite me” defense will hold up in court but I am not removing any links yet. There are some bands that lock up their content so tight it does make me wonder….and if I had a million views a week and put ads on my site- I would have a problem. Thankfully, I am somewhere less than that. 🙂