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Remixer can’t stop the 1D remix takedowns, after entering a 1D remix contest

By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 20 July 2015

So this is my favourite story of the week so far, which I realise isn’t saying much given this is the Monday morning edition of CMU Daily, but whatever, it could still be at the top for sometime yet of the ‘CMU Team’s Favourite Stories Of The Week So Far Chart’ on which everyone in music truly aspires to appear, especially since the introduction of the global release day and Zayn Malik’s departure from One Direction.

And wouldn’t you know, this is a story involving the 1D boys. Including Master Malik. Sort of. A remixer has told Torrentfreak about his battles with SoundCloud’s automated takedown system, which has been busy trying to block his remix of the boy band’s 2014 hit ‘Steal My Girl’ (released pre-Zayn’s departure, see).

Now, SoundCloud’s automated takedown system is, of course, there to stop pesky producers from putting out uncleared, unapproved remixes of top pop hits. Except that Lee Adams remixed ‘Steal My Girl’ after being encouraged to do so via an official One Direction remix competition organised by artist network TalentHouse and Sony Music.

Talenthouse told bedroom producers across the UK: “After getting involved in remixing himself, Liam Payne wanted to give other people the opportunity. He, and their guest judges including senior A&R and radio executives from Sony Music, will select one artist to receive a prize of £1,500. The selected remix will be posted to millions of music fans across the band’s official channels and potentially played on radio as an exclusive premiere”.

Exciting. Though note that Sony Music’s licensing team weren’t involved in this wonderful promotional venture. Which is presumably where the problems began. Adams tells Torrentfreak: “I made my remix, put it on SoundCloud about a week before the contest closing date. About two days later, it was taken down as it had been detected by SoundCloud’s own copyright system as infringement”.

Seemingly other aspiring 1D remixers were reporting the same issue on the competition’s official SoundCloud page, where Talenthouse had kindly left the track stems for those planning on remixing the song. Adams: “I messaged SoundCloud back saying it was part of a remix contest. Then they told me that doesn’t mean I own the copyright”.

So no help there then. Talenthouse was more co-operative, helping Adams get his remix reinstated on the audio-sharing platform, before telling the remixer “this kind of thing happens all the time with SoundCloud”. As if it’s SoundCloud’s fault, and not the result of Sony Music not taking in account its own remix competition when managing its music on the streaming site.

And needless to say, Adam’s ‘Steal My Girl’ remix has been pulled from SoundCloud yet again. He told Torrentfreak: “To me this is just a poor decision by Sony, maybe they shouldn’t do remix competitions of their artists if they don’t want problems like this. To me it’s a good marketing decision to do a remix competition in the first place but everything that has gone on after has been poor”.

So there you go. Aspiring journalists are more than welcome to remix this article and post it to their blogs. We’ll give a tube of 1D Love Hearts to the best rework. Though copyright in the quotes belongs to either Torrentfreak or Adams, so we can’t guarantee your blog post won’t be subject to a DMCA takedown. Though that’d be a bit hypocritical of both of them really. Given their stance on such things.

By the way, in case you wondered, the ‘Steal My Girl’ bass stem is the most popular after lead and backing vocals. Well, of course it is!