Content creators can now remix existing music videos into their original creations with the introduction of YouTubecreation with the introduction of YouTube Shorts latest feature.
Dubbed simply as Remix, this feature allows Youtubers to utilize every music video available on the platform and create something wholly their own. This opens up new creative possibilities for the billions of creators on the platform and serves as a major one-upmanship from their biggest short-form video platform competitor, TikTok.
Perfect timing for YouTube
The timing of Remix’s introduction couldn’t be more precise, as TikTok is in the midst of a dispute with Universal Music Group (UMG). In early February, TikTok users woke up to find the sounds of their favorite videos completely muted. This resulted from TikTok failing to renew their licensing deal with the recording giant, home to the biggest artists on the planet like Taylor Swift, BTS, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Drake, and Justin Bieber – to name a few.
Citing TikTok’s bullying tactic to settle on unfair compensations for their artists, UMG pulled its sizable music catalogs off the platform – a bold move considering TikTok’s growing importance as a promotional tool for the music industry.
Remix features explained
Now, YouTube Shorts has seized the chance to fill the void. It is turning the billions of music videos hosted on the platform into creative tools for its creators. A Remix button added to music videos allows users to explore four options: Sound, Green Screen, Cut, and Collab. Sound allows users to extract audio from a music video and soundtrack their own clip to it. Green Screen transforms the music video into a dynamic backdrop. Cut functions pretty much like TikTok’s ‘Stitch’ feature, allowing users to splice music videos with their own. Meanwhile, Collab lets users record a side-by-side clip alongside the music video, perfect for a dance challenge showcase.
The introduction of this new feature marks a significant turn in the fierce competition between the two tech giants for short-form video audiences.
