Can YouTube Suspend You for Covering a Song?

I'm absolutely crushed that I can't access Rin on the Rox via YouTube anymore. The duo, which consists of two best friends named Erin and Roxanne, became an Internet sensation in just a few months time by covering pop songs in their bathroom using a webcam. They're absolutely adorable and they can sing the shit out of anything put in front of them. I love watching their videos.

Unfortunately, Rin on the Rox's YouTube account has been suspended. Rumor has it that the suspension is due to the girls using songs without artist permission. Are there limitations to performing song covers?

Just a couple weeks ago Rin on the Rox made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show where they sang Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent." The girls, who attend college and work as waitresses during the day, are striving to make it in the music biz. This suspension is definitely putting a damper on that dream of theirs.

I'm seriously bummed. Rin on the Rox has all but disappeared from the Internet and no explanation has been provided. What's going on, YouTube? Oh, and while I'm ranting, I'd also like to note that this means the count for Asian-American women visible in mainstream music is back to... zero.

Yipee.