YouTube
has launched a new "Remix" feature that allows users to incorporate clips and audio from official music videos into their
Shorts
, the platform's
TikTok
competitor. The move comes as TikTok faces licensing disputes with major record labels like Universal Music Group. The
remix
abilities are now widely available on the YouTube mobile app.
To access the features, users can tap "Remix" on eligible music videos. This will present you with four different options to remix your Short: Sound, Green Screen, Cut, and Collab. You can choose one of these options or try them all for different Shorts, and the creative possibilities are endless.
The Sound option allows you to take just the sound from the video and use it in your Short, creating a perfect soundtrack for your upcoming trip to Nashville, which happens to be this weekend. With the Collab option, you can create a Short right alongside the video, so you and your friends can do the choreography side-by-side with the artist. The Green Screen option lets you use the video as the background to your Short, so you can film your real-time reaction to your very first listen. Finally, the Cut option allows you to cut a specific scene from a
music video
and add it to your Short so you can relive it as often as you like.
“What makes this so unique? On YouTube, you can watch the music video on repeat, check out other Shorts that have been created from the same song by fellow fans, and discover deep catalogue cuts from your favourite artists and relive those moments by remixing them as your own.” writes Sarah Ali, a senior director of product management at YouTube, in a blog post. “All of that can happen in one place and it’s ONLY on YouTube!”
YouTube's vast licensed music catalogue could be an advantage over competitors. TikTok lost Universal's music catalogue due to failed licensing negotiations. Universal alleged that TikTok underpaid for music rights and had no interest in compensating artists.
TikTok users have been unable to access the music catalogue from Universal Music Group (UMG) for some time now. This has resulted in videos using the label's songs being silenced. Now, YouTube has been giving its users access to UMG's libraries. This new option from YouTube is a significant win for them, which gives YouTube an advantage over their biggest short-form video rival.
YouTube says that artists or labels can opt out of having their videos remixed.
English (US) ·