Category: Internet etiquette

Copyright Strikes Despite Longstanding Declaration of Free Music

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The fan-run channel was formerly accessible here.

As noted by RPGFan.com in a social media post here:

Falcom has taken down the fan-run ‘Falcom Music Channel’ (a YouTube page they’d even link to themselves!).

 Despite once lax rules for use, Josep (who ran the page) would also try crediting individual composers who are otherwise more simply credited as ‘Falcom Sound Team JDK’.

Image credit: RPGFan.com

Says the channel owner on social media:

I don't really know what to say, and honestly, I'm not even sure how to process this. I never made a single cent from this channel; it was always driven purely by passion.

All I can say is thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who ever listened.

— Josep (@jdkluv) July 22, 2026

Discussion on social media:

Falcom's music policy assumes the use of legitimately obtained music. If that channel was uploading tracks extracted from the game, especially Kyoto Xanadu music before the official OST was released, it's understandable why Falcom would view that as particularly serious.

— Limo (@Limo02984538) July 24, 2026

It is noted that Falcom does not even appear to have an official music channel on YouTube. Instead, there is only an auto topic of auto-imported tracks here.

Recent discussion on the Falcom subreddit:

IMPORTANT: The Falcom Music Channel is at risk of being permanently taken down
byu/CDNWRocks inFalcom

A forum thread on ResetEra is available here.

Ironically, Falcom has long had what it hails as a world-first declaration of free music. The following is an English machine translation of their policy in Japanese here:

What is Falcom’s Music Free Declaration?

This is a declaration made with the aim of allowing you to freely use all of Nihon Falcom Corporation’s (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) musical works.

For over 40 years, our company has produced and sold a vast amount of game music, gaining support from many users across generations due to the diversity of our sound and the high quality of our productions. We have released over 5,000 songs, and that number continues to grow.

With the desire to share these songs with even more people than before, beyond just game music fans, we are launching the “Falcom Music Free Declaration,” a world-first initiative.

You can use music in situations like these.

• I want to play Falcom music at a piano recital.
• I want to play in a band’s live performance.
• I want to use it as background music for my wedding.
• I want to use it in a play for the school festival.
• I want to use it as background music for a radio program.
• I want to use it as a song for a TV commercial.
• I want to use it as background music for events and presentations .

On social media as noted above, and on YouTube, there is speculation that the channel was taken down specifically because the Kyoto Xanadu OST was ripped and uploaded before the OST release:

Other coverage on YouTube:

Rumors regarding a replacement channel to be started by another fan:

For the people asking the post, here it is. pic.twitter.com/kFjAVxOVyv

— yupz (@ykaiketsu) July 26, 2026

Speaking exclusively with FFV Central, JRPG streamer and Falcom content creator NeoKakarot offers the following insight:

Falcom could have very easily communicated with Josep telling him that BGM rips before the official OST is a no no now.

I think they used the Kyoto Xanadu uploads as an excuse to just be rid of the channel.

Falcom with their expanded western reach realized they were missing out on ad revenue of all these westerners not listening to their official YT channel or spotify.

So, what do you think? Is Falcom finally backpedaling from their policy? Comment below, or come check us out on Discord.

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