Who We Are
Merlin provides independents the means to own their future. We are a member led, music focused organization. We provide digital music licensing for the leading independents across the globe. Members benefit from Merlin’s premium deals, but work directly with key digital partners, to help them compete at the highest levels. Merlin’s collective approach has enabled our membership to grow to represent 15% of the global market share.Who You Are
Our membership consists of independent labels, distributors, and other rights-holders from around the world, representing tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country. The genres represented by our members span the spectrum – from hip hop to Afrobeats, ambient to alternative, Latin to pop, and R&B to rock. Merlin is for independents that want to own their future and ensure their rights are properly valued.Who We Are
Merlin provides independents the means to own their future. We are a member led, music focused organization. We provide digital music licensing for the leading independents across the globe. Members benefit from Merlin’s premium deals, but work directly with key digital partners, to help them compete at the highest levels. Merlin’s collective approach has enabled our membership to grow to represent 15% of the global market share.Who You Are
Our membership consists of independent labels, distributors, and other rights-holders from around the world, representing tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country. The genres represented by our members span the spectrum – from hip hop to Afrobeats, ambient to alternative, Latin to pop, and R&B to rock. Merlin is for independents that want to own their future and ensure their rights are properly valued.What We Do
After we strike a premium deal, Merlin works collaboratively with our digital partners to drive additional benefits to our members while delivering value back to our digital partners. The benefits to our members include:- Admin fee of 1.5% ››
- Free to join and no other fees
- Transparency for members into deal terms
- Equity and breakage paid out in a fair manner
- Participation in deals is voluntary
- New members typically see an increase in performance on key digital partners
- Tools and incremental opportunities
Who We License
Merlin has premium deals with more than thirty digital music services around the world and is in conversations with dozens more. This includes Alibaba, Anghami, Apple, AWA, Boomplay, Deezer, Facebook/Instagram, iHeart, Jaxsta, JioSaavn, KKBox, Mixcloud, NetEase, Pandora, ROXi, Slacker, Snap, SoundCloud, Soundtrack Your Brand, Spotify, Tencent, TikTok, Triller, VEVO, Yandex, and YouTube Music.What We Do
After we strike a premium deal, Merlin works collaboratively with our digital partners to drive additional benefits to our members while delivering value back to our digital partners. The benefits to our members include:- Admin fee of 1.5% ››
- Free to join and no other fees
- Transparency for members into deal terms
- Equity and breakage paid out in a fair manner
- Participation in deals is voluntary
- New members typically see an increase in performance on key digital partners
- Tools and incremental opportunities
Who We License
Merlin has premium deals with more than thirty digital music services around the world and is in conversations with dozens more. This includes Alibaba, Anghami, Apple, AWA, Boomplay, Deezer, Facebook/Instagram, iHeart, Jaxsta, JioSaavn, KKBox, Mixcloud, NetEase, Pandora, ROXi, Slacker, Snap, SoundCloud, Soundtrack Your Brand, Spotify, Tencent, TikTok, Triller, VEVO, Yandex, and YouTube Music.
Our Merlin membership enables us to lead and champion our own digital relationships, but we still have a highly connected and respected partner to help us better enable our digital relationships. Merlin can support Reach through an extra set of eyes on marketing campaigns to inclusion in beta tests. It is Merlin's collective approach that ensures we have first access and the best access.
Katie Alberts, SVP of Operations
Reach Records (USA)
Member Since 2018Merlin gives us access to deal terms and marketing opportunities which we simply wouldn’t get if we tried to negotiate deals with DSPs ourselves. Merlin is crucial to our business and provides exceptional value for their services.
Ron Edwards, Commercial Director
Mushroom Music Group (Australia)
Member Since 2008Our deal with Merlin has been key to help us deliver added value to our clients. From marketing actions with platforms and webinars to new services, Merlin understands the needs of the independent community and has been a true companion to our journey.
Maria Ines Quintana, Global Marketing Director
FaroLatino (USA)
Member Since 2014Merlin helps our business grow by providing expert services, while we focus on our creatives.
Olakunle Oladehin, Founder
TuneAfrique (Nigeria)
Member Since 2018Merlin gives us the ability to think outside-the-box as a music business and focus on our growth. With the music industry landscape ever-evolving, we look forward to continuing to work with Merlin and grow as a community.
Patrick Zajda, Co-Founder & CEO
Lullify (USA)
Member Since 2019
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Sign up to get email news and updates from Merlin.Merlin’s Celebrate Music Event
January 13, 2021If you missed our Celebrate Music event on January 13th, you can watch a recording of it here. Thank you to our members, our digital partners,...
The Path to Merlin Membership
January 9, 2021We’re excited you’re interested in learning more about joining Merlin. In order to potentially qualify for membership, applicants need to satisfy...
Merlin Member Updates – !K7
December 30, 2020In recent months, we’ve had the privilege to interview many of our members about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has impacted the music...
“Our Members’ Success Is Our Success”: Merlin Makes Key Hires to Deliver More Value to its Growing Member Base
December 4, 20202020 has been a dynamic year of challenges, innovation, and hard work for Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner. In January,...
Tencent Music Entertainment and Merlin Renew Multi-Year Licensing Agreement
October 26, 2020Tencent Music Entertainment Group (Tencent Music or TME, NYSE: TME), the leading online music entertainment platform in China, and Merlin, the...
Merlin: Enabling Provocative Music Since 2008
September 21, 2020Written by Jeremy Sirota Independent music is provocative. It can be audacious, disruptive, and defiant. Independent music can shake you out of...
Amuse Joins Merlin To ‘Secure The Most Artist-Friendly Terms’ from Spotify, TikTok and More
July 8, 2020Fast-growing, Stockholm-based distribution company Amuse – which also runs its own in-house record label – has joined independent collective...
Merlin Promotes Charlie Lexton to Chief Operating Officer
April 28, 2020In an expanded role, Lexton will continue to oversee Merlin’s deal-making efforts. New remit includes oversight of Merlin’s Data Analytics...
Merlin and TikTok Agree to a Landmark Global Music Licensing Partnership
January 23, 2020Merlin, the digital licensing hub for the world’s independent music sector, has entered into a multi-territory partnership with TikTok, the...
Merlin Appoints Jeremy Sirota as the New Chief Executive Officer
January 8, 2020Sirota joins from Facebook’s Music Team Merlin diversifies its board, adding eight new executives from Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, the...
Boomplay And Merlin Bring the World’s Best Independent Music to Africa
December 10, 2019A landmark licensing partnership with Merlin, the global digital rights agency for the independent label sector, will ensure that Boomplay,...