SoundCloud, Merlin Ink Licensing Deal
• SoundCloud and Merlin announced a global licensing deal that enables 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 distributed through the traditional pro-rata model. This allows rightsholders and artists to earn money from their fans’ listening behavior, as well as better gain insight into who those fans are and connect directly with them on SoundCloud.
“At SoundCloud, we’re committed to being artist-first,” said SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton (left). “The FPR model makes streaming royalties more equitable, helps artists benefit directly from their fans, and opens the door for more meaningful fan-to-artist connection. I’m thrilled that Merlin’s extraordinary community of independent labels and distributors, and by extension their artists, will now benefit.”
Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota (right) commented, “Merlin is proud to partner with SoundCloud and bring their innovative Fan-Powered Royalties payout model to our global membership. This partnership provides our members and their artists with new revenue opportunities, as well as empowering fans to directly support their favorite artists from across Merlin’s global membership. This collaboration will strengthen Merlin’s community of independent rightsholders and provide them, and their artists, the tools to build closer relationships with fans.”
Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, represents a significant share of the global recorded music market share, with members including independent record labels, distributors, label services companies, and other rightsholders. Merlin members include companies like Amuse, Cinq Music, Foundation Media, IDOL, Secretly, Symphonic Distribution, and Too Lost, which will be participating in the FPR program. For more information, please visit merlinnetwork.org.
