How to monetize YouTube playlists (even if you don't own the videos)

[polzy]

Let's say you are a music curator with a playlist idea that you think will be very popular. You could create a regular YouTube playlist and get tons of views but you won't be able to monetize it.
We have created an app Tubekast (https://www.producthunt.com/posts/tubekast) that allows this music creator to either:
- stream the playlist (and keep his YouTube playlist private). What gets streamed is a dynamic QR code of the playlist that is decoded by the Tubekast Player
- create a Tubekast video using our Tubekast Encoder. You get back a video file that has a sequence of QR codes that can also be decoded by the Tubekast Player

It may sound complex but it is not. Just try it!

 

[Vedstedsen]

So an app that helps monetize copyrighted material, that does not belong to the creator of the playlist?

 

[Nicekid76]

So an app that helps monetize copyrighted material, that does not belong to the creator of the playlist?

To me it's kind of like having a stylist. Your stylist doesn't design your clothing. they don't own the copyrights to your boots or scarf, but they pick out what looks best for you and people are willing to pay for that curation.
likewise, the creator of these playlists are curating song/videos for you. Like having your friend being you algorithm instead of trusting youtube to pick what you will like.
I think it's kinda like that. but maybe i'm being a bit too optimistic.

still i don't know how many people looking for a song would actually go off youtube for that vs just making their own playlist, but it is interesting

 

[Vedstedsen]

To me it's kind of like having a stylist. Your stylist doesn't design your clothing. they don't own the copyrights to your boots or scarf, but they pick out what looks best for you and people are willing to pay for that curation.
likewise, the creator of these playlists are curating song/videos for you. Like having your friend being you algorithm instead of trusting youtube to pick what you will like.
I think it's kinda like that. but maybe i'm being a bit too optimistic.

still i don't know how many people looking for a song would actually go off youtube for that vs just making their own playlist, but it is interesting

The boots and scarf has already been paid for. Not the songs. Either the app needs to pay the copyright holder for each play, or the listener needs to own a copy of the song.
It's possible, but it's hard to make it both legal and convenient.

 

[Nicekid76]

The boots and scarf has already been paid for. Not the songs. Either the app needs to pay the copyright holder for each play, or the listener needs to own a copy of the song.
It's possible, but it's hard to make it both legal and convenient.

but the app, to me sounds like it's just embedding a youtube playlist. if the content owner allows embedding i don't see what they are doing that is illegal.
you could argue that the ads on the video are how the video is already being paid for. Do you at least see where i'm coming from?

UPDATE AGAIN - I'm not sure. I edited this to say it was illegal but now I'm editing it again to say i have no idea. See more replies below

 

[RidingWithStymie]

I always felt that the creator of a playlist should get part of the revenue for the views, since if it weren't for the playlist, the person wouldn't have viewed the content. The playlist drives viewers to the content. But YT never consulted with me...

(I also imagine that a policy like this would lead to an explosion of playlists...)

 

[Nicekid76]

Hi @polzy,

You sent me a PM and I sort of realized that I never mentioned why I think this is illegal.

I wanted to reply publically just because I think other people might also wonder why I (seemingly) suddenly changed my mind.

To be clear, I thought it was legal when I thought you were basically just embedding the playlist into a website. Upon rereading it sounds like you (or that platform) are streaming the content out. These two options are very different.

If it was just embedding, I don't have a problem with that and I'm pretty sure that's perfectly legal. It's basically just a link to the actual video. Ads still play on the video, the orginal video still gets their views and stats.

On the other hand, if you are streaming it out then that is most likely copyright infringement. Even without monetization that would be illegal. For example me streaming your music in my video is copyright infringement which is why people get copyright strikes and content ID for that.

Embedding is just allowing people to watch or listen to the youtube video somewhat with the youtubers permission since they allowed embedding. Meanwhile streaming the original creator doesn't get any money for the playback of there song (unless...are you paying royalties that weren't mentioned on the site?) and your streaming becomes a market substitute. Lasly, I should mentioned that while on youtube copyright infringement tends to end with just a strike or a content ID claim, off youtube it typically ends with a fine ($10,000 and up if per song)

Hope that clears things up . If you have any questions let me know and I will do my best to answer based on the information I know, but... (see disclaimer below)

I am NOT a lawyer. This is NOT legal advice

 

[polzy]

Thanks for the updates .. Please try it, it is just an embed.

 

[Nicekid76]

I'm going to be honest with you and say I most likely won't try it soon, but I will bookmark it incase I have a playlist in the future.
How does the monetization process work? Can you please explain that?
I've 're-updated' my last line where I said it was illegal to say "i have no idea", which I think is fair based on what you just said about it being just an embed.
I guess my first first post was more correct. Sorry for flip flopping. Interesting concept. Did you make this app?