I'm only now jsut catching up on this tbh, but how is any of this legal?
I don't understand how Youtube can say these are legit claims either when the OP is detailing claims made by completely random companies like HearstMagazine, or companies that the publisher doesn't even know!
It is legal in some regards.
What a lot of people don't realize, and I don't think the developers even entirely realize, is that when they produce, say, a soundtrack to their game, and that soundtrack ends up being sold somewhere... that requires a publisher. And usually, a different publisher from the game.
So when you get a company like "Merlin" and "Phonofile" claiming copyright on music being used, well...
http://www.merlinnetwork.org/home/
Merlin is a global rights agency representing the world's most important set of independent music rights.
http://www.phonofile.com/?page_id=2
Phonofile is the largest aggregator for indie music in the Nordic region, and one of the most experienced players in the digital music marketplace today. Even though Phonofile has its strongest foothold in the Nordic region, we work with labels and services from all over the world.
Just because it doesn't look legal at a glance does not mean it isn't. It's a bit silly that gameplay is tripping copyright information on the background music, but it also makes a whole lot of sense, too. Especially given how the tech on Youtube's end is so hamhanded about it.
Which is also why some wires are getting crossed. Yes, it's saying some people own the rights that do not, but that's because of filing errors years ago. Public domain content is a big headache on Youtube because of this stuff; all it takes is one news organization to accidentally claim a piece of public domain media and suddenly nobody can use it until it's PROVEN to be public domain, which can be a lot harder than it sounds.
Try looking up the original Night of the Living Dead on Youtube. That movie is technically public domain, but most of the uploads from users posting it eventually get takedown notices because of DVD distribution and stuff. A lot of companies
think they own the rights to Night of the Living Dead, when that is actually impossible. When I checked a couple months ago for Halloween, there were even some Youtube channels trying to sell rentals for the movie (thankfully they don't seem to be coming up anymore.)
These things happen. No, they aren't especially legal, but you spend enough time as a content creator on Youtube and you eventually discover Youtube isn't actually concerned with what is legal, they're concerned with covering their own asses and avoiding long, drawn out battles - even if that means not following the letter of the law.
The trick is knowing enough of your stuff so you can fight back without getting yourself in to trouble, and there are very, very few people who can do that.