Twitch Announces Launch of ‘DJ Program’ to Solve Copyright Issues

Twitch DJ Program will officially launch in July/August 2024.

In April 2024, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy stated that they are building a structure for DJs on Twitch in a way they will have to share money with the labels. Pertaining to that announcement, Twitch has now announced the details of the program. It is rolling out a new program aimed at supporting DJ streamers and helping them grow their communities. Called the Twitch DJ Program, it will finally allow DJs to livestream popular music seamlessly without worrying about copyright takedowns or muted audio.

Twitch’s new DJ program comes after an escalating number of issues around copyright enforcement for DJ streams. With an increase in DMCA takedown notices and complaints from music labels about not receiving a cut of the revenue, the company realized the existing “status quo” was untenable. Twitch stated that finding a legitimate music licensing solution was crucial for the DJ community to have any viable path forward on the platform.

How It Works

DJs who opt into the program will gain access to stream millions of tracks from a vast, continuously updated music catalog. They can use any song they want from this library during their live DJ sets on Twitch with no risk of getting in trouble. In exchange, Twitch will take a portion of the streaming revenue generated by DJ channels and pay it out to the record labels and music artists whose songs are being played. For most DJs, Twitch says this revenue split will be 50/50.

To help ease DJs into this new model, Twitch is offering a one-year subsidy period. For the first 12 months after joining, DJs will have their earnings “topped off” to 100% of what they currently make from Twitch. This subsidy amount will then gradually decrease over the next year.

Commenting on the new update, popular EDM star Steve Aoki said “This announcement is a huge step forward for DJs who want to share their music online. Twitch helping solve this problem shows how much potential there is, and how important DJs are to the Twitch community.”

New DJ Category & Promotion

As part of the program, Twitch is launching an official “DJ” category on the site to increase discoverability. DJ channels will also get opportunities for special promotions and to be featured more prominently to help gain new viewers.

The one major caveat is that DJs in the program will not be allowed to save VODs, clips, or highlights containing music to Twitch. However, Twitch says it is developing new ways to help promote DJ content.

The Twitch DJ Program is optional for now, but the platform warns of consequences for DJs who choose to opt out. Supporting the claim they state that the “status quo” of playing unlicensed music is changing, and DJs who continue doing so outside the program risk takedowns, copyright strikes, and potential account bans.

DJs who want to participate can sign up after the official launch in July/August. More details are expected in the coming months as the launch approaches.