Merlin agrees landmark partnership with SoundCloud - the world’s leading independent labels to unlock new revenue opportunities

04 June 2015 - Press release

Merlin, the global digital rights agency for the independent sector, has today announced a landmark partnership with SoundCloud that enables more than 20,000 labels and distributors worldwide to extend their existing relationship with the service and benefit from new commercial and promotional opportunities. SoundCloud currently has 175 million unique users each month.

The agreement includes the world’s biggest independents, such as Beggars Group, Domino, Secretly Group, Epitaph, Ninja Tune, PIAS, Warp Records, Armada Music, Kontor Records and many more. Merlin’s membership represents the most valuable set of rights outside of those controlled by the three major labels, commanding in excess of 10% of the global digital market.

Significantly, via this commercial partnership Merlin members now have access to a full range of reporting and content management tools and, by joining On SoundCloud, SoundCloud’s new creator partner programme, an opportunity to unlock new revenues - triggering monetisation of their own uploads to the SoundCloud platform, in addition to those posted by SoundCloud users.

The agreement will also cover involvement in SoundCloud’s forthcoming subscription service - a unique offering, due to launch in 2015.

Charles Caldas, CEO of Merlin, said: “The independent label community has long embraced SoundCloud as an innovative marketing and discovery platform, and Merlin is pleased to partner with the service at the next stage of its evolution. Our deal significantly extends this existing relationship, and ensures Merlin members can participate fully in the long term value of SoundCloud's future.”

Alexander Ljung, SoundCloud’s founder & CEO, said: ”I’m excited to announce our largest independent label partnership to date with Merlin, the global rights agency for the independent label sector. Independent creators have always been at the core of SoundCloud and with this partnership we’re thrilled to extend new revenue generating opportunities to thousands of independent labels."