Content ID is YouTube's system for spotting copyrighted audio in videos. Rights holders upload reference files, YouTube scans every new video against them, and when it finds a match the owner can monetize the video, block it, or just track it.
For your own music, that sounds great: every time someone uses your song in a video, you'd collect. The catch is who's allowed to register.
The rule: you have to own everything exclusively
YouTube, and the distributors who submit music to Content ID for you, require that you hold exclusive rights to all of the audio in the song. Their eligibility rules are explicit that songs containing samples, loops or beats licensed non-exclusively don't qualify.
That's not a judgment on whether your sample is legal. You can have a perfectly valid license and still not be eligible, because a valid license to use something isn't the same as owning it exclusively.
Why samples break Content ID
Sample libraries license the same sounds to many producers. That's the whole model. So picture this:
- Two producers flip the same licensed sample into two different songs.
- Both opt in to Content ID.
- YouTube now has two reference files containing the same audio.
- Every video using either song gets claimed, and the two songs start claiming each other.
Now multiply that by every producer using that sample, plus every video using any of their songs. That's why the rule exists, and why distributors can remove Content ID access, or worse, from accounts that ignore it.
What to do instead
- Opt out of Content ID for that release. Your distributor will usually ask during upload. Say no for any song built on a licensed sample.
- Your song still goes to YouTube Music. Opting out of Content ID doesn't remove your official release; it just means you won't collect ad money from other people's videos. Check how your distributor labels these options, as they're usually separate.
- Keep your license handy. If someone else wrongly registers audio that includes the same sample and your video gets claimed, you can dispute the claim with proof of your license.
What about the original sample owner?
If the sample owner registers the sample itself in Content ID, every song using it gets claimed, which is exactly what a library shouldn't do. Soul Sample Club doesn't register its samples with Content ID, precisely so members' songs don't get claimed.
The short version
Licensed samples are great for making records you can release. They're not something you can claim as exclusively yours. Release the song and leave it out of Content ID. Just keep your license on file.
For the bigger picture on clearing samples you didn't license, see the complete guide to sample clearance.
Questions producers ask
Why can't I register a song with a licensed sample in Content ID?
Content ID requires exclusive rights to everything in the song. A sample licensed to many producers is non-exclusive, so the song isn't eligible, even though your use of the sample is legal.
Will my song still be on YouTube if I opt out of Content ID?
Yes. Opting out of Content ID doesn't stop your distributor delivering your release to YouTube Music. It only means you won't collect ad revenue from other people's videos that use your song.
What should I do if my video gets claimed for a sample I licensed?
Dispute the claim and include proof of your license, such as the license terms and a record of when you downloaded the sample.
Does Soul Sample Club register its samples in Content ID?
No. Registering the samples would claim members' songs, so we don't. Anything you download as a member is licensed to you for your releases.
Skip the paperwork
Original soul, cleared before you press play.
Every sound in Soul Sample Club is an original composition, pre-cleared for commercial releases. Download it, flip it, release it. Nothing to negotiate.
Chris, Founder of Soul Sample Club
Producer and the person behind Looplair and Soul Sample Club. I started SSC so producers could sample soul without the clearance headache.
Sources
- DistroKid: Eligibility for YouTube Content ID
- Ditto Music: Is my music eligible for YouTube Content ID?
- YouTube copyright strikes (overview)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific release, talk to a music lawyer.
Keep reading
Sample clearance: the complete guide for producers
What sample clearance actually is, who you need permission from, and what happens if you skip it. Written by a producer, for producers.
Do you need to clear samples for YouTube or SoundCloud?
Uploading beats and songs with samples to YouTube or SoundCloud: how claims, strikes and takedowns work on each, and how to protect your channel.
Royalty-free vs pre-cleared samples: what's the difference?
Royalty-free and pre-cleared sound like the same thing. They aren't. What each term actually promises, and the questions to ask before you use any sample pack.