Does Seth Rudetsky have to pay royalties...?

Seems like he is well within fair use, especially since he never plays a song straight through and is not profiting from the use of previously published and copyrighted material.

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And by default, then couldn't BWW be held liable? That's what they used to say when you even uttered the b-leg word? Now they link to bootleg videos and the like. So odd.

I'm not sure if web sites are liable for linking to bootleg/copyright-infringed material. That's a good question as it happens all over the internet.

And, joe is right--it's become a circus that artists and companies are going to have to evolve with unless law and order can somehow be enforced online. Artists like Lady Gaga and Madonna seem to have embraced it, knowing it's all just free promotion. That doesn't mean that their record companies are as cool with it.

It's a big, murky ocean.

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They may have discovered that there's no need to be concerned.

Frankly, I'm apt think it should not be a blog/web site's responsibility. It should be the responsibility of the uploader to know if they hold all rights/fair use. If you are upset that someone is using your song in a video and everyone is embedding or linking to it, stop the video--all those links and embeds go dead.

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