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SoundCloud and Merlin Announce Global Licensing Deal to Bring Fan-Powered Royalties (FPR) to Merlin Members and Their Artists

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

NEW YORK, May 4, 2023 – SoundCloud and Merlin today announced a global licensing deal enabling Merlin members and their artists to participate in SoundCloud’s Fan-Powered Royalties (FPR) model. Through FPR, SoundCloud’s first-to-market, user-centric payout model, a share of each listener’s subscription or advertising revenue is allocated to the tracks they listen to, rather than their plays being pooled and …

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Getting to Know Wizard 2.0 With Merlin Product Manager Mel Zacks

In Featured, News by Matt

How would you describe Wizard for someone who has never used it before?  MZ: Wizard is the tool that our Members use to manage their reporting, invoices, partner deal participation and company details. Members have access to Wizard 24/7/365 which means they are always up to date with the latest deals and reporting. We’re rolling out a new version of …

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Merlin Celebrates 15 Years of Charting a Better Future for Independents

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independents’ digital music licensing partner, is thrilled to announce 2023 as “15 Years of Merlin” to celebrate its 15th anniversary. Since its founding, Merlin has grown to represent 15% of the global recorded music market share. Merlin members are independent record labels, distributors, label services companies, and other rightsholders. Merlin’s growing membership spans the rights of tens of …

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Los beneficios de una junta liderada por miembros

In News by Merlin Team

Merlin es el socio licenciatario de la música digital independiente. Hemos negociado acuerdos de primer nivel con Apple, Facebook, Spotify, TikTok, Youtube y otras 40 plataformas innovadoras alrededor del mundo. Nuestra membresía global representa el 15% de música grabada, desde discográficas independientes hasta distribuidores, y desde agencias de representación de artistas hasta otros poseedores de derechos. Somos una organización guiada …

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メンバー主導理事会のメリット

In News by Merlin Team

Merlinはインディペンデントのデジタル音楽ライセンスパートナーです。Apple、Facebook、Spotify、TikTok、YouTubeをはじめ、世界中の40の革新的なプラットフォームとプレミアムな契約を交渉してきました。私たちのグローバルメンバーは、独立系レコードレーベルからディストリビューター、アーティストマネジメント会社、その他の権利者に至るまで、レコード音楽市場の15%を代表しています。私たちはミッション主導型の組織で、1.5%の管理費のみの資金で非営利のように運営されています。Merlinの世界レベルの関係性、きめ細かいサポート、一連のパートナーシップは、インディペンデントが最高レベルで競争することを支援します。 Merlin理事会の基礎知識 Merlin理事会の責任 Merlin理事会の価値観 Merlin理事会の選任 現在のMerlin理事会 以下のメンバーは、現在のMerlin理事会(2022-2024年)です: 選出された理事 理事会アドバイザー

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The Benefits of a Member-Led Board

In News by Merlin Team

ES | JA | Merlin is the digital music licensing partner for the world’s most valuable and sophisticated independent labels and distributors. We’ve negotiated premium deals with Apple, Facebook, Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and 40 other innovative platforms around the world. Our global membership represents 15% of the recorded music market, from independent record labels to distributors, and from artist management companies to other …

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Revelator’s Bruno Guez on Decentralization, NFTs, and the Role of Web3 in the Evolution of Independent Music

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin’s Executive Interview Series is a monthly series featuring executives from across Merlin’s dynamic and diverse worldwide membership, discussing some of the most pressing topics, developments, and innovations in independent music today. This month’s piece features Bruno Guez, CEO of Revelator Ltd.  MERLIN: You’ve discussed decentralizing the music industry. What would this mean for artists — and particularly independent artists?  …

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Merlin Announces New Partnership with STYNGR to License the Largest Collection of Independent Music to Gaming Companies

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, today has announced a dynamic new agreement with STYNGR, a B2B technology platform that provides a turnkey music licensing solution for video games and the metaverse. This partnership provides game developers access to the wide-ranging music released by Merlin members, creates a new revenue source for Merlin members, and generates exposure for independent …

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Freeme’s Michael Ugwu on Discovering, Freeing, and Developing Independent Artists

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin’s Executive Interview Series offers a range of independent voices from Merlin members around the world. This piece features Michael Ugwu, CEO of Freeme Digital and member of the Merlin Board of Directors Can you give us some background on Freeme Digital? Freeme Digital was born as a result of wanting to help African artists get their content on as many commercially-viable …

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Merlin Announces Adam Wright as New Chief Financial Officer

In News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, is proud to welcome Adam Wright as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). A strategic new leader on the Merlin executive team, Wright is an innovative and values-based finance executive with a passion for working with creative entrepreneurial ventures. Wright comes to Merlin after three years as director of finance for Creative Artists …

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Merlin Strikes Multi-Territory Licensing Deal With Social Platform Kuaishou

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, and China-based short-form video platform Kuaishou have signed a broad new partnership. This arrangement will make Merlin members’ expansive variety of music available across Kuaishou’s products, including Kwai and SnackVideo. With more than one billion Monthly Active Users worldwide, Kuaishou encourages its global community to share their activities, habits, and more with the …

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Pinterest partners with Merlin to expand music experience on platform

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Today, Pinterest announced new partnerships with Merlin and other major rightsholders to bring today’s top artists and music on the platform. This partnership expands Pinterest’s existing royalty-free music library to include licensed tracks, powered by 7Digital, the leading B2B digital music solutions platform. Additionally, Rumblefish is providing Pinterest with music metadata and license management services.  Being able to add known …

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How Damian Thomas Helps Independents Dominate The Digital Music Realm

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin’s Executive Interview Series offers a range of independent voices from Merlin members around the world. This piece features Damian Thomas, Director, Recorded Music & Digital Accounts at KARTEL. You came to KARTEL after several years at Warner Music Group. What first led to you kicking off a career in the music industry?  Music was my passion from an early age. My …

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Merlin Presents: Twitch Indies Raids

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Presented By Twitch and Merlin  August 17th, Exclusively on Twitch  Twitch and Merlin come together to present a livestreamed charity “relay raid.”  The relay raid will feature back-to-back performances from some of today’s hottest independent hip hop artists. Throughout the event, viewers will be automatically directed to each performance and can donate to MusicCares by clicking the link provided in …

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From Berlin to NYC to Ninja Tune: Marie Clausen’s Independent Music Journey

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin’s Executive Interview Series offers a range of independent voices from Merlin members around the world. This piece features Marie Clausen, Managing Director North America at Ninja Tune. What led you to be interested in music? It was absolutely the cultural environment that I was immersed in during my teenage years. I was surrounded by inspired people who were making …

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Merlin Congratulates the 2022 Libera Award Winners

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Congratulations to all independents who were nominated and won at the 2022 A2IM Libera Awards. The following is a list of Merlin Members who won. You can catch a recap of the 2022 A2IM Libera Awards Presented by Merlin here. Record of the YearJapanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans) Secretly Group Video of the YearWet Leg – “Chaise Longue” ( Domino Recording …

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Merlin Partners with South Korean Streaming Giant FLO

In Featured, News by Sarah Fulford-Williams

View the Korean version of this article here Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, is expanding global access for independent artists through its broad new partnership with FLO, one of South Korea’s biggest music streaming apps. With over 8.5 million listeners in South Korea on digital music services, Merlin members now have the potential to increase their artists’ fan …

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Merlin Congratulates Its Member Grammy Winners for 2022

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, extends a heartfelt congratulations to its members who are celebrating their artist wins at the 2022 Grammys. 16 categories saw awards go to artists who work with Merlin members. Merlin applauds all of this year’s nominees and would like to highlight its members’ winners: Los Lobos (New West Records/Redeye/PIAS) – Best Americana Album …

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Twitch and Merlin Announce Strategic Partnership to Empower Independents to Better Engage Audiences

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, today announced a dynamic new agreement with Twitch, the interactive live streaming service for content spanning gaming, entertainment, sports, music, and more. Through its creator-first culture, Twitch has served as a powerful service for fan engagement and new music discovery. This partnership recognizes the power of independent artists and their impact in the …

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Merlin Announces Its Next Board; Welcomes Nine New Board Members

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independents’ digital music licensing partner, starts the new year announcing its newly-elected Board. The organization’s Board—elected from and by its members—includes representatives from twelve different countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania. This diverse expertise will provide strategic guidance to Merlin in better serving its membership — composed of tens of thousands of labels …

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Merlin Partners with Lickd to Make Independent Music Accessible to Creators

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

LONDON, 12.01.22: Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, has announced a multi-year deal with Lickd, the platform helping YouTube content creators legally use the music they love. The partnership injects music from tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists across the globe into the flow of usable content, granting Merlin members access to the creator …

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The Benefits of Merlin Partnership

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin is the independent’s digital music licensing partner. We’ve negotiated premium deals with Apple, Facebook, Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and 40 other innovative platforms around the world. Our global membership represents 15% of the recorded music market, from independent record labels to distributors, and from artist management companies to other rightsholders. We are a mission-driven organization that operates like a not-for-profit …

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Boomplay and Merlin Extend Licensing Agreement to Cover 47 Countries Across Africa

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

LAGOS, NIGERIA and LONDON, UK – DECEMBER 21, 2021 – Boomplay, Africa’s leading music streaming service and Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, today announced an expansion of their licensing agreement that will extend the availability of Merlin members’ music catalogue to 47 additional countries in Africa. In 2019, Merlin signed a licensing deal covering 11 countries with Boomplay, …

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Merlin Strikes Strategic Partnership with Global Streaming Music App TREBEL

In Featured, News by Merlin Team

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, has announced a deal with TREBEL, the maker of a licensed music app with on-demand and offline play sponsored by brand advertisers. TREBEL is partnering with Merlin to expand its users’ access to a wide-ranging repertoire of independent music, as well as building on its mission to grow the pie for everyone — …