WMG was one of the first of the majors to work with YouTube. “We are working actively to find a resolution with YouTube that would enable the return of our artists’ content to the site,” the label said in a statement. “Until then, we simply cannot accept terms that fail to appropriately and fairly compensate recording artists, songwriters, labels and publishers for the value they provide.”

YouTube's biggest rivals, MySpace Music and MTV Music will stream the Warner Brothers material but as of now, and in spite of the threats, Warner's music is still up on YouTube.

So either the threats were empty or Warners are feeling the Christmas spirit.