YouTube's Robert Kyncl on licensing: 'While we wish that we had 100 per cent success rate, we understand that is not likely an achievable goal'. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
YouTube has confirmed that it will begin blocking videos from independent labels that have not signed up for its upcoming subscription music service 'in a matter of days'.
YouTube is about to begin testing the new service - which will charge people to watch and listen to music without ads, and download songs to their mobile devices - within the next few days, initially within Google.
The company's head of content and business operations, Robert Kyncl, told the Financial Times that the service - previously rumoured to be called YouTube Music Pass - will launch more widely later in the year.
His confirmation that YouTube will block videos from labels that do not sign licensing deals for the new premium tier will be hugely controversial among indie labels, with trade body WIN already filing a complaint to the European Commission about its negotiating strategy.
'While we wish that we had 100 per cent success rate, we understand that is not likely an achievable goal and therefore it is our responsibility to our users and the industry to launch the enhanced music experience,' said Kyncl.
Contacted by The Guardian following his comments, WIN's chief executive Alison Wenham was blunt in her response. 'They have suffered a simple but catastrophic error of judgement in misreading the market,' said Wenham, who had organised a press conference earlier in the month to protest at YouTube's plans.
WIN claims that the company has signed lucrative licensing deals with major labels Universal, Warner and Sony, while demanding that independent labels sign up to inferior terms or face having their videos blocked from YouTube's free service.
Wenham's criticism today echo a claim made at the event by musician Billy Bragg, who said 'I don't know why they've opened this hornet's nest right now, apart from corporate hubris. I don't think they realise what a stupid thing they've done.'
As things stand, artists including Adele, Arctic Monkeys and Jack White face having their videos blocked on YouTube. The site has become a key promotional outlet for independent labels of all sizes in recent years, so the threat is far from idle.
YouTube attracts more than 1bn monthly viewers, with music one of its biggest categories. Its upcoming premium music subscription tier will compete with Spotify, Deezer and Napster among other services, including Apple-owned Beats Music and Google's own Google Play Music All Access.
* YouTube accused of strong-arming indie labels into poor deals
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