YouTube says Warner Music artists to return in the coming months; complete catalog by year-end

YouTube says Warner Music videos back in months

LOS ANGELES — YouTube says music videos from Warner Music Group Corp. will return to the video site in the coming months after a nine-month dispute over deal terms.

Most of the catalog of videos from artists such as Madonna, Metallica and Green Day will be available for free viewing.

YouTube’s head of music partnerships, Chris Maxcy, said Tuesday the companies will share advertising revenue from the videos, with Warner getting the majority share.

Maxcy says the deal is “completely separate” from the online music venture Vevo, which YouTube and Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group are launching later this year.

The deal announced Tuesday means YouTube, a unit of Google Inc., now has partnerships will all four major recording labels — Universal, Sony, Warner and EMI — and their respective publishing divisions.