How YouTube Content ID works for musicians

YouTube compares every upload against a database of reference files supplied by rights holders. When a video contains a match, the rights holder can choose to monetise it, track its statistics, or block it. If you monetise, the ad revenue from that video goes to you instead of to nobody.

For a musician this is how a song used in other people's videos — a fan's vlog, a dance clip, a cover — earns money, on top of the streams on the stores.

YouTube only gives Content ID to rights holders that meet its requirements, so an independent artist usually registers through their distributor, which holds the agreement and registers your recordings as assets.

• A beat or sample you licensed non-exclusively may also be claimed by someone else. Turn Content ID off for tracks like that.
• Your own channel can be claimed by mistake. Ask your distributor to add it to the list of channels that are never claimed.
• A claim you disagree with can be disputed through YouTube, and your distributor handles the dispute.

YouTube Content ID is included free. Each track has a switch, on by default; when it is on, the recording is registered with YouTube so videos that use it earn money for you. Turn it off for a track you do not want claimed. To keep your own channel from being claimed, send MOOZLO's team the channel link.