With the release of the Square Enix Music Channel on YouTube, content creators are wondering if any of the music released on the channel is fair use and DMCA safe. Square Enix has always upheld its copyright with music, often sending cease-and-desist letters to content creators who use its music without permission. Most YouTube fan channels with Square Enix music will get shut down because of copyright strikes.
Even with the official Music Channel, it’s doubtful Square Enix will change its stance and suddenly make its music DMCA safe. That means any music from any of the games released on YouTube is not fair use, and that includes all the Final Fantasy and Neir titles.
Square Enix has released long-form music sessions on its Music Channel that serve as low-frequency tracks for people to listen to while they work. One video is called Airship Cruise Beats, and the other is called Mellow Minstrel Mix. Both sessions are DJ remixes of classic songs from Square Enix games. Sometimes companies will release lo-fi music sessions for public use, especially when the music used in the sessions is made by fans. For example, Riot Games has two music sessions based on League of Legends, and Riot specifically states the music can be used by creators “without concern of copyright strikes.”
Square Enix does not mention if its music sessions are fair use. At the bottom of the video description in both Square Enix sessions reads that all rights are reserved by the company. It’s probably not a good idea to use any music from the Square Enix Music Channel under the assumption it is DMCA safe.
