The New York Times report that music videos from the likes of Lady Gaga, Tom Petty, Boyz II Men, the Killers, Lionel Richie, Maroon 5, Meat Loaf, Janet Jackson, Kiss, George Strait, Spice Girls, and more will be upgraded by YouTube and Universal Music Group.
David Mallet, who directed Billy Idol's "White Wedding", said, "We were making videos for a screen that the very largest was 32 inches. A lot of them just don’t hold up when they get blown up to 60-inch screens."
In a public statement via TechCrunch, YouTube's global head of Label Relations, Stephen Bryan explained, "It’s really an honor to partner with Universal Music Group and change the way fans around the globe will experience viewing some of the most classic and iconic videos. The quality is truly stunning. It’s our goal to ensure that today’s music videos — true works of art — meet the high-quality standards that artists’ works deserve and today’s music fans expect."
Apparently the HD versions will replace the original files, but will still keep the same URL meaning viewing numbers won't be affected.
