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OK to upload others' music to YouTube?


Tangentg

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I noticed there's a big lack of Atari video game music on the internet. Even in compilations. There's a lot of good music in Atari games that can't be found on YouTube. My question is, is it copyright infringement/violation if I record and upload them onto YouTube?

Edited by Tangentg
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I wouldn't be saying I made them and if the creators of the music is listed anywhere online I'd credit them but I know it doesn't make a difference to the law if you credit someone or not. It's like plagiarism, where even if I didn't say I made the work, it's still saying I made the work.

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YouTube can identify recorded music, but I doubt anything from Atari games would be an issue. The worst that can happen is them saying something is copyrighted, and they'd warn you of that.

 

When you put stuff up, link back to it here please. We all like the sounds of Atari games.

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It's taking a slight risk. I wouldn't do it with a channel I cared about; make a new one, preferably under a whole new Google account. Technically it's within Atari SA's rights to make copyright claims against any/all of the videos you post. A single one would be a copyright strike. Three of those and your channel is permanently disabled.

 

I would doubt Atari SA would do that. But the fact that you can't find this music on YouTube already suggests that they may in fact be doing it. Usually when somebody says "I can't find this copyrighted thing anywhere on YouTube!" it's because the copyright holder is working to keep it that way.

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For AA stuff the person who made it should be easy enough to track down and just ask. Most are cool and probably wouldn't mind. Something like Activision on the other hand, maybe you could make a "play through" video?

 

I love the music on marble craze and would love to hear all those in completion. I think there are 5 unique tracks on that game, I think Paul Slocum (sp?) Made it.

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I was specifically thinking of Medieval Mayhem and Omicron at first but I went to the music credits and I'm not too sure who "Phil S." is (credited for "main theme" and "stage clear" music) and I don't think I've seen the creator Simone for years. Haven't checked Medieval Mayhem yet.

 

Also I'm not too sure what "main theme" refers to since the game has a title theme, a resist/2.5k theme, an absorb theme, a rescue theme, and a bonus theme, all of which besides the title theme play in the game.

Edited by Tangentg
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YouTube can identify recorded music, but I doubt anything from Atari games would be an issue.

Something funny: Over the past ~20 years, I've made a bunch of VIC-20 demo music, of which quite a lot were covers of existing songs. Most of these demos have been uploaded to YouTube, but so far none has been automatically tagged as copyright infringement. However one of my friends made 2 songs to one of the demos, and his version of Popcorn was immediately tagged and the sound was removed from the entire video. I find that interesting, that my music arrangements are so bad or unusual that the computer program can't detect what it supposed to sound like, but someone else working with the same hardware managed to catch a copyright infringement.

 

So yes, there seems to be a number of ways YouTube solves infringement:

1) Adding advertisments to your video (??)

2) Silencing the sound, leaving the rest of your video if it isn't a further infringement

3) Bringing down your video

4) For repeated offences, bringing down your account or other measures

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  • 1 month later...

OK so I have compiled a little playlist of some Atari music. As @Flojomojo wanted, I'm gonna mention it here.

 

The 2 I've uploaded are of Medieval Mayhem and Omicron 2.5k, the others are already existing on Youtube. It's mostly Atari 2600, but there might be some 8-bit/5200, 7800, and others in the future. I'm probably gonna add a piece from the Lynx and Jaguar now.

 

I'm currently waiting to hear on the creator of the Star Fire Music, and I'm also hoping to be able to upload the excellent Chill theme from the Atari 8-bit Personal Computer System version of Dr. Mario, though I haven't looked into how I could contact the creator of the game, nor do I currently know how to contact the one who made the music (I just know they go by "Miker" for now). If any of you do, please let me know. I already have the music recorded for personal use but putting it up is another matter.

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHgGDmUHKh2uMrOSoEoQFd0Lkl511MPlr

Edited by Tangentg
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I'd argue its fair use. Its non-profit, a small portion of the work as a whole, and people don't play video games to listen to music. That doesn't mean it won't get taken down, but it would be upto you to defend it as fair use. If the music itself was licensed from elsewhere than it might not be fair use.

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  • 6 months later...

I noticed there's a big lack of Atari video game music on the internet. Even in compilations. There's a lot of good music in Atari games that can't be found on YouTube. My question is, is it copyright infringement/violation if I record and upload them onto YouTube?

YouTube maintains lists of copyrighted music that's ok to use with restrictions (like no monetization). If you violate it they may take down your video.

 

When it comes to old games, it's likely that no one is enforcing the copyright, and the youtube system won't recognize them as copyrighted.

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