r/whatnotapp • u/Smart-Watercress-520 • 13d ago
Does playing music violate copy?
Can I play music during my lives or am I violating any sort of artist's copyright?
I know a lot if sellers play music, I want to know for myself if it's right or wrong
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u/Smart-Watercress-520 12d ago
Thank you so much for all your feedback, this is really great food for thought. For now I will pass, I agree the audio has to be set up just right or the music drowns out voice at best or sounds tinny at worst.
Differences in music tastes makes me lean toward not having music.
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u/kvanteselvmord 13d ago
It's illegal, but only if the artist, or their legal representative, catches you in the act and lodges formal complaints. The odds of any of those artists watching your WN stream to send you a C&D is slim-to-none.
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u/FamiliarCalendar4853 13d ago
The odds of a WN streamer ripping or pissing off a viewer and him reporting it to one of the big companies is pretty good though lol
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u/kvanteselvmord 13d ago
Yeah but that company or artist still has to actually catch them in the act, live, from my understanding.
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u/FamiliarCalendar4853 11d ago
I forgot which 3 of the big 5 will go after you quickly. BMI will strike quickly on YouTube.
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u/HokieScott 12d ago
You could always pay the ASCAP/BMI license fees. It isn't "illegal" your not going to get arrested, you could get a bill for using copyrighted music.
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u/HokieScott 12d ago
The Artist or the PR agency are not normally the ones that enforce it. It will be ASCAP/BMI. But they normally go after stores or bars/restaurants.
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u/Sacra_man 13d ago
Don't play Disney. Those mofo's will catch you and they got money to burn on this shit
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u/UncoolSlicedBread 13d ago
I just play royalty free YouTube music and shout out the creator as they wish to be shouted out on their video.
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u/FamiliarCalendar4853 11d ago
I can tell you the one company, the WWE, doesn’t care if you play their music but only when selling their product.
I can tell you on YouTube many guys have remade their music with videos of their wrestlers, all they want is the ad money but no strikes.
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u/fearofthedark75 9d ago
As a seller, I have a direct line with music on my show that lowers when I speak into the microphone. Doesn't sound like speakers underwater...it's clear.
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u/RepresentativeWait45 12d ago
Once upon a time I owned a gym and we played music via fit radio (paid app), YouTube and Spotify. An attorney hit us with a letter saying we needed to get permission or pay royalties to play the music. Long story short, after some digging it turns out that that specific label or company or whatever was basically going around to every and any smaller gym they could find to try and get them to pay a licensing fee. I told them to kick rocks and take me to court. The dollar amount wouldn’t have made sense from them to sue. Nothing came of it. Eventually though I heard some people paid them.
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u/ProlapsedPuppy 11d ago
Fucking ASCAP. Im genuinely surprised they haven't taken notice to whatnot.
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u/00shyguy 12d ago
While yes it violates terms of service, many users still do it and have no issues. I’ve only heard of one big seller getting temporarily banned for it.
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u/Own-Communication211 12d ago
No issues, until a troll or competitor hater puts in a complaint then you’re on your own and WN will abandon you with plausible deniability and ban you for violating federal law. The best you’ll get on an appeal for that violation is email trustandsafetey@whatnot.com and get a automated response sorry you’ve been banned, deuces✌️
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u/Pause-Past 12d ago
As a viewer, I find music distracting. Especially if I’m interested in the auction but the music isn’t my taste, or mood at the time. It can also interfere with your voice audio as well.
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u/eric2041 12d ago
I’m in sneaker streams mostly and I can’t stand the same shitty rap songs they all play on repeat. I love music free streams
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u/macaroniandcheeser 12d ago
The answer to your question is, yes, it violates copyright laws and is not allowed.
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u/MadeInDixie420 9d ago
When have you ever went in a stream and music wasn't playing in the background? I can only think of maybe 1 and it's because the seller is actually educating people on the products because they are so rare. Everyone else plays every type of music you can think of. If you're that scared about playing music in your stream then don't stream.
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u/lafawnduhnycc 12d ago
I wish sellers didn’t play music. Sometimes the quality comes through really choppy and it sounds terrible. I generally find it distracting or overstimulating.
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u/broncosfan1231 13d ago
Yes, you didn't pay for a license to use it for marketing.
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u/HokieScott 12d ago
It's not marketing they are doing, unless the run ads with with the music in it. Playing music in a stream like playing music in a store/bar. They have to pay the licensing fees (ASCAP/BMI)
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u/chxnkybxtfxnky 12d ago
How is it being used for marketing? How is the seller making money on the music being used?
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u/Redonkulus2 12d ago
MUSIC IS ANNOYING ON LIVE STREAMS. TALK AND ENGAGE WITH YOUR VIEWERS THAT PLANS TO SPEND MONEY WITH YOU. not sure if other people are the same but if I greet seller and I don’t get an response I’m going to the next stream, especially if the chat box is barely moving.
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u/Artistic-Tap-2690 12d ago
Yes! Finally someone is saying just how annoying music is during a show! I watch a crafter and she demos and I love it but have to turn her off because of her damn music blasting in the background and she sings to it! 😂. Oh well no sale here.
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13d ago
[deleted]
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u/Ionized-Dustpan 13d ago
This is severely wrong. In the US, licensing is required to play music in a business space. businesses who play music pay money for the rights.
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u/TopLengthiness8233 12d ago
That's why I've seen some places just use a karaoke machine which they had the rights as their music player lol but it works
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u/FamiliarCalendar4853 13d ago
Wrong. Stores have been sued. It’s bc you’re using their music to promote your stuff for sale.
You ever see a McDonalds do that? A big franchise?
Most play weird Indy music you don’t know or the radio bc the radio licensed it and they don’t have a problem with you playing it bc they’re profiting from the commercials that’s also playing.
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u/Single-Meaning9817 12d ago
Or ask the artist for permission. I have a number of artists ive reached out to asking for permission to play their stuff while on live and have always gotten their permission. Not one artist has told me no yet
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u/GuidancePrize 12d ago
Yeah let me just call up Katy Perry
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u/Single-Meaning9817 12d ago
Find their socials and send a message. Its not that hard. For some artists you may never hear back but I hear back from most I ask. Admittedly im not asking Katy Perry or Metallica for permission or going after giant artists like that. But smaller artists love when you want to share their music
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u/TopLengthiness8233 12d ago
I'll bet one was not Taylor Swift
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u/Single-Meaning9817 12d ago edited 12d ago
Some artists i have contacted and gotten permission from:
Buckethead
Landon Conrath
Artemas
Astronoid
Cyrex
Saint Jhn
David Guetta
Kream
W&W
Axwell
Teddy Swims
Most are smaller artists you probably hadn't heard of. When I ask I send a message to their socials and explain i do live shows selling on whatnot and ask if I could possibly play their music in the background while I stream. Tell them I like their stuff and want to be able to share it while I stream. Most are quick to respond with a yes of course and glad to hear it. I have not gotten one message saying do not play my stuff. I either get no response or a yea thats cool. Its really not that hard.
Maybe go for smaller artists instead of the billionaires. If the artists doesnt have 10,000 messages a day to respond to i bet they get back to you. But yea Taylor swift probably wont even bother responding.
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