Six months ago, talks between Warner Music Group and YouTube over the licensing of the label's music videos broke down, and since then, anyone looking for official clips from acts such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Death Cab for Cutie, and Green Day has likely been disappointed.No deals have been worked out and there's a long way to go before any agreement is reached, said the sources. But they added that the mini-cold war between YouTube and Warner Music may be thawing.
The impasse was a result of Warner's insistence on a deal that was in line with the terms offered to competitors. Another music industry source said the disagreement between YouTube and Warner Music was much more complex than that but declined to elaborate.
That presumably could change as the companies have entered into a new round of talks, according to two sources with knowledge of the negotiations. While the companies have spoken several times over the past half year, the most recent discussions are more serious, the sources said.
Since December, YouTube has struck licensing deals with all the other three top recording companies, Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and EMI. YouTube would likely be glad to once again be able to offer videos from all the majors. Warner artists would likely welcome a return to YouTube and the exposure the Web's No. 1 video site offers.
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