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YouTube Copyright 

Claims

What is Content ID

Content ID is YouTube's fingerprinting system, allowing artists to track down how their music is used in the countless videos available on the platform. It is an important tool for artists, as it allows them to act against wrongful and unauthorized use of their music on YouTube.

Even though you have legally licensed music from Jamendo Licensing, you may occasionally receive a Content ID claim when uploading your content to YouTube. Receiving a copyright claim can be frightening, especially if it is the first time you have received one, however, it does not mean that the license you have acquired is invalid.

This guide explains why this can happen and how to resolve it quickly.

What is a Copyright Claim

A copyright claim, often called a Content ID claim YouTube is an automated notification that your video or post contains music or audio that has been identified as copyrighted material.

It’s important to understand:

  • A copyright claim is not a copyright strike and it does not mean your account is in trouble or that you did something illegal.
  • It means the YouTube's Content ID system detected music that an artist has registered for tracking or monetization via Jamendo or third-party Content ID providers.
  • These claims are automatically generated by the platform’s software, not by Jamendo or the artist directly.

Copyright claims normally lead to actions such as:

  • muting the audio on your video
  • blocking the content
  • redirecting ad revenue

Why you might receive a Copyright Claim?

Websites like YouTube use automated tools to identify copyrighted music in videos. Artists or rights holders can register their music with Content ID to track and monetize unauthorized uses through services like Jamendo Licensing or other Content ID providers.

Depending on whether the artist uses Jamendo or a third-party provider for Content ID services, you might receive a copyright claim even if you have a legitimate license to use the track in your video for one of the following reasons:


The artist is using Content ID via Jamendo

The tracks registered with Content ID via Jamendo will be marked with a small ID icon next to the track title.


If you license this type of track, the license certificate will contain an AdKey that you need to add in the description and tags of your video.
In this case, you might receive a copyright claim if:

    1. You have not added you AdKey.
    2. Our ContentID service is unable to detect your AdKey.

What to do if you get a Copyright Claim?
  1. Dispute the Copyright Claim via YouTube Studio.
  2. Contact us so that we can help release the copyright claim from our side.
  3. Make sure to add the AdKey in the description and tags of your video.


The artist is using Content ID via a Third-party Provider

Tracks that do not display the ID icon next to their title on the Jamendo Licensing website are not registered with Content ID through Jamendo. This could mean that the artist is using a different third-party provider for Content ID, which means that licensing such tracks could still result in a Copyright Claim.

What to do if you get a Copyright Claim?
  1. Dispute the Copyright Claim via YouTube Studio.
  2. Contact us so that we can get in touch with the artist and help resolve the issue on your behalf.

Tracks Registered with Content ID via Jamendo

Opting for a track that is registered with Content ID through Jamendo may seem counterproductive, but licensing these tracks allows us to provide you with all the necessary tools to avoid Copyright Claims.

All tracks in the Jamendo Licensing catalog registered with Content ID via Jamendo are marked with a small ID icon, next to the title.

You can even filter tracks registered with Content ID in the filters section of the Music Catalog on the Jamendo Licensing website.


It is important to note that if the track you licensed from Jamendo Licensing is not listed in ContentID on Jamendo, the artist may have registered it with another provider. As a result, you could still receive a Copyright Claim. In such cases, please reach out to the Jamendo Support Team right away, and we will work with the artist to address the situation.

Add your AdKey 

If you licensed a track registered with Content ID via Jamendo, your License Certificate will contain an individual AdKey. You can use the AdKey to prevent Copyright Claims as the Content ID system will be able to recognize the AdKey and verify your license

Before publishing your video on YouTube, make sure you add the AdKey in the description and tags of your video on YouTube.

If you have a subscription to the Jamendo Licensing Catalog, you can request an AdKey you can use across all your YouTube Channels. Please make sure to contact us so that we can generate an AdKey for you.

It is important to note that if the track you licensed from Jamendo Licensing is not listed in ContentID on Jamendo, the artist may have registered it with another provider. As a result, you could still receive a Copyright Claim. In such cases, please reach out to the Jamendo Support Team right away, and we will work with the artist to address the situation.


Disputing a Copyright Claim in YouTube Studio

If you've received a Copyright Claim on YouTube, follow these steps to dispute and resolve it.

  1. Go to YouTube Studio. 
  2. In the left-hand menu, click on Content, filter by Copyright, find the affected video, hover over Copyright and click See details.
  3. Click Select action, then Dispute.
  4. Choose License as the reason for your dispute, then click Continue.
  5. Copy and paste your license certificate text into the designated box, check the required declarations, sign, and click Submit.
  6. Attach your Jamendo license certificate (PDF) if possible.

YouTube may take a few days to review your dispute. If approved, the claim will be removed, and you’ll be able to monetize your video as usual.

We Can Help 

Our Customer Support Team can help you prevent and resolve YouTube Copyright Claims, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us to:

  • Request a general AdKey you can add in the description and tags of your YouTube videos. Our team will generate an AdKey for you and send it back to you.

  • Release claims for tracks registered to Content ID via Jamendo. If your video has received a Copyright Claim despite including your AdKey in the description and the music tracks being registered with Content ID through Jamendo, please reach out to us, and we will promptly resolve the issue by releasing the claim from our side.

  • Liaise with artists who are using third-party Content ID services. If you have licensed a track from Jamendo that is not registered with Content ID and have received a Copyright Claim, please get in touch with us so we can communicate with the artist and help resolve the claim for you.

Need more help? Contact us.

If you have any questions or face any challenges, please feel free to contact us—we're here to help you every step of the way!

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