# Linking to music videos and performances on YouTube **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2007, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-music-videos-and-performances-on-youtube/408981 "2007-06-22T11:59:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-music-videos-and-performances-on-youtube/408981/1 "2007-06-22T11:59:06Z")
I have a blog where I have fun reviewing some music. Sometimes I find a clip on YouTube of the songs I’m talking about, and I’d like to put a link to them in my review, so that if I write, for example, “this or that song is really catchy and has a very powerful rhythm”, I can give immediate proof of it. But is it legal? I’m sure many do without many consequences, but is there an official rule on that? And just to make it more complex, is there a difference between clips of music videos from MTV and bootleg recordings of live performances? I’m sure that if I asked some representative of a music major they’d say no, and how I dare think of that, but I also know that it’s one thing to _claim_ something is or isn’t allowed, and actually have this claim _recognized_ by the judicial system. As far as it’s relevant, I’m in the UK but the blog is hosted in the US, I reckon (it’s a free one on [Wordpress.com](http://Wordpress.com)). ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-music-videos-and-performances-on-youtube/408981/2 "2007-06-22T14:44:10Z")
Well, technically, it is illegal, seeing as the copyright holder hasn’t given permission for the video to be uploaded. However, record companies are now frequently putting up videos themselves legally. The Internet is pretty much the Wild West of today- if you don’t get caught, you can do whatever the hell you want. YouTube’s official stance is not to get involved unless the copyright holder asks for it to be taken down, IIRC. It’s really up to you to do what you want. [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sK3AqFYAWQ) article has more information. (Okay, it’s not an article- I’m an honest man, but since this was about music videos, I couldn’t resist [rickrolling](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rickroll) you.) ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-music-videos-and-performances-on-youtube/408981/3 "2007-06-22T14:55:34Z")
The uploading of the video may or may not be legal, depending on the copyright holder’s wishes. Your linking to it, on the other hand, is probably lawful, unless you’ve made some sort of agreement with whoever uploaded it. ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-music-videos-and-performances-on-youtube/408981/4 "2007-06-26T12:27:12Z")
Bump! Any other opinions?