Weezer Genius... or Violation?

I've never purchased a Weezer album (unless you count that brilliant "Buddy Holly" video bundled with Windows 95). After watching this video, though, I just might.

(Feed readers click through)

Considering Paul's post yesterday that mentioned the publishing of copyrighted work on YouTube, this video is particularly interesting since it references a lot of YouTube hits.

Obviously, the video is copyrighted, but I don't know if the person who published this video online was authorized to do so.

I do know it's been watched over 500,000 times since it was originally posted about 3 weeks ago.

I also know that the song and the video are directed at people who watch YouTube videos often enough to get the references, and as such, YouTube is the perfect place to promote both the song and the band.

Will they remove it?

I would argue that they shouldn't, but there isn't always a connection between what the music industry should do and what they actually do. - Cam Beck

Many thanks to my wife for sending me the video link.

Note: Weezer DOES have an authorized version posted here, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are compensated by YouTube for unauthorized postings. They  seem to be fans of the platform, at any rate. Does anyone out there have an inside scoop?

Comments

[John Herrington]

Wow, I hadn't seen this video yet, but the album is great. Speaking of genius, Rivers Cuomo (the lead singer with the sweet mustache in this video), was at Harvard when they first started. Apparently he dropped out only to finish a decade later.

[Alan Wolk (The Toad Stool)]

Do not know details, sorry. Assume they paid whoever needed to be paid to make the video- they/their record company have deep pockets.

I know South Park did a similar sort of "Greatest Hits of YouTube" type spoof which reinforced the notion that YouTube is just the online version of "America's Funniest Home Videos"

But mostly I'm shocked that they left out the Sneezing Panda.