Mixcloud and Merlin Announce Direct Licensing Deal

Mixcloud, the audio streaming platform that’s fostering a global community for audio culture, has signed a multi-year direct licensing agreement with the Merlin Network, the global music rights agency representing the independent record label sector.

Mixcloud’s agreement with Merlin brings independent labels and their recording artists into the mix, alongside Mixcloud’s recent agreements with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. This continues to ensure all underlying rights holders will receive royalties when their music is played as part of Mixcloud’s current streaming music options, as well as the upcoming subscription service. 

Mixcloud offers listeners access to a unique collection of over 15 million radio shows, DJ mixes and podcasts produced and uploaded by over 1.3 million tastemakers and curators around the globe. The community thrives on the discovery of specialist genres and scenes, with deep roots in the indie sector. Regular uploaders that strongly represent the independents include online radio stations such as NTS, The Lot Radio and Red Light Radio; independent record labels such as Ninja Tune, Tru Thoughts and Hospital Records; and individual creators such as Lefto, J Rocc and Mr Scruff.

“Mixcloud has been built from the ground up by and for a passionate community of creators. Signing this direct licensing deal with Merlin is particularly exciting for us, as the independent label ethos that the Merlin network represents so closely reflect our own values. It makes a lot of sense for us to solidify this relationship with the independent sector, so that we can work toward building a sustainable ecosystem for audio culture.”

Nico Perez, Co-Founder of Mixcloud

“Merlin’s independent label members already contribute to a significant and growing part of Mixcloud’s programming. With a long-term partnership in place we look forward to expanding this relationship, fuelling new innovation, and ensuring our members’ extensive repertoire is reaching the widest possible global audience.”

Charles Caldas, CEO, Merlin

About Mixcloud

Mixcloud is an audio streaming platform enabling a global community of listeners and creators to connect through audio culture.  Listeners can access a unique collection of over 15 million radio shows, DJ mixes and podcasts produced and uploaded by over 1.3 million passionate tastemakers and curators around the globe.Launched in 2009, Mixcloud’s mission is to build a fair and sustainable ecosystem for audio culture. The platform’s proprietary content ID system is used to identify individual music tracks played in shows, ensuring proper payment is made to all artists and underlying rights holders. Mixcloud also collaborates with brands under its in-house agency LOUD, working with the likes of Adidas, W Hotels, Sonos, Dr. Martens, Eventbrite, and more to create cutting-edge cultural solutions.

Join the Mixcloud community at www.mixcloud.com or get the app via the App Store or Google Play.

About Merlin

Merlin is the global digital rights agency for the world’s independent label sector.

The organisation’s members command in excess of 12% of the digital recorded music market and embody more than 20,000 independent record labels and distributors from 57 countries.

These include Secretly Group, Domino, Sub Pop, Entertainment One, Redeye Worldwide, !K7, AWAL, Merge, Warp, INgrooves, Hopeless Records, Armada Music, Mad Decent, Ninja Tune, Eleven Seven Music, Naxos and Curb Records, representing some of the world’s most important and successful artists.

Merlin acts to ensure these companies have effective access to new and emerging revenue streams and that their rights are appropriately valued and protected.

Since commencing operations in May 2008, Merlin has licensed over 25 key digital services including Facebook, YouTube Music, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, Alibaba, NetEase and Tencent, and has reached a number of high value copyright infringement settlements on behalf of its members.

Merlin has won ‘Independent Champion’ at the A2IM Libera Awards three times – in ‘15, ‘16 and ‘18.

Merlin has offices in London, New York and Tokyo, with a head office in Amsterdam.