Drum & bass veteran Peshay is pushing back after YouTube removed his seminal Studio Set 1996 mix, following a copyright claim by an individual with no apparent connection to the original recording.
The mix, which had amassed more than 3.8 million views since being uploaded by a third-party channel with permission, included ‘Links’ by The Chameleon, originally released in 1995 on LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Records. In 2025, Dice Ryu Sykes registered the track under a new title, ‘Tropical Jungle (Remade)’, with the US Copyright Office and filed a DMCA takedown.
The situation has spotlighted growing concerns around the vulnerability of legacy music under current takedown systems. According to Peshay’s manager, Ron Pye, Sykes has no documented ownership of the work and is exploiting a loophole that allows individuals to claim authorship of pre-digital releases. After the initial takedown, Peshay uploaded a remastered version himself, only for it to be struck again. YouTube reportedly warned Pye against “misusing” its counter-notification system, despite the original mix’s legitimacy and cultural value.
Further allegations suggest Sykes has targeted multiple other 1990s-era drum & bass releases, by artists including Future Engineers, Shogun, Intense, and Makoto, rebranding them and uploading them under new names while filing strikes against users sharing the originals. In response, Peshay and Pye launched a Change.org petition demanding stricter checks on copyright claims affecting archive material, alongside clearer accountability for fraudulent takedowns. The petition has drawn over 2,000 signatures and highlights the fragility of digital music heritage under current enforcement models.
This case is highly relevant to the artists, labels and rights holders we work with. It raises critical questions about how legacy recordings are treated on modern platforms, and how vulnerable they remain to abuse. As conversations around copyright reform and platform responsibility evolve, we’ll continue to follow developments that impact the wider music ecosystem.