Bad news for UK music fans who use Youtube to watch some tunes.

The video giant is blocking UK music fans from watching videos from its site due to a fallout with the music royalty collecting agency PRS. Google has said that it will block British and that it realiised the move would cause “significant disappointment.” No kidding Google!

They put the blame firmly on the PRS which it said was asking for so much in royalties that Google would be losing money on every play of a music video on its site.

Google said in a statement:- “Our previous license from PRS for Music has expired, and we’ve been unable so far to come to an agreement to renew it on terms that are economically sustainable for us,” Until a solution is found, it added, “we will be blocking premium music videos in the UK that have been supplied or claimed by record labels.”

The PRS for Music, whom collects money on behalf of writers and publishers worldwide, said it was ‘outraged’ by Google’s move.

Their statement read:- “Google has told us they are taking this step because they wish to pay significantly less than at present to the writers of the music on which their service relies, despite the massive increase in YouTube viewing,” Neither group revealed how much money is at stake in their negotiations.

Many record companies are now using YouTube for displaying content and making revenue. Youtube currently have deals with three of the four major record labels but some are not too impressed with their cut of the advertising revenue.

This isnt the first spat Youtube have had with the music industry. Last year, Warner Music removed its music videos from YouTube, saying the payments it received did not fairly compensate the label or its artists and songwriters.

YouTube is still working with PRS for Music “in an effort to reach mutually acceptable terms for a new license, but until we do so we will be blocking premium music videos in the UK. that have been supplied or claimed by record labels,” said Youtube.

It is in everyones interest to get those videos back, and it is expected that a deal will be thrashed out at some point.

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