MySpace Music, which, as you may remember, was highly criticised by the indie label community for offering them what they considered to be an inferior deal compared to that given to the majors, and for launching their new service without the indies on board, has secured music from thousands of indies via a deal with independent digital distributor IODA.
Despite key independent labels, and their global digital rights body Merlin, being very vocal about their disappointment with the MySpace Music deal when the social networking firm launched its revamped music service in the US last month, there were some indie tracks available via MySpace's new streaming jukebox via a licensing deal with independent digital aggregator The Orchard.
The deal with IODA, details of which have not been revealed, will bring thousands more, including music from labels like Arts & Crafts, Ace Records, Bonnier Amigo, Cherry Red Records, Cooking Vinyl, Demon Music Group, Fat Cat Records, Kanine Records, Light In The Attic, Paper Bag Records, Naive, Premium Latin Music, Relapse, Rounder Records and Six Degrees.
Merlin, who say they represent 9% of the US music market, and certainly speak for some of the bigger independent labels, are still holding out. As previously reported, they object to the fact that MySpace gave the four major record companies an equity stake in MySpace Music to secure their involvement, but have offered no such deal to the independents even though, the indies argue, it was they who were quick to embrace the original MySpace Music platform and helped the social networking company establish it.
Confirming the IODA deal to Billboard, MySpace Music's Strategy And Business Development Director, Frank Hajdu, said talks with Merlin were ongoing, telling the trade magazine: "Content aggregation is a marathon, not a race. We're still in the process of talking with Merlin and welcome all Merlin members to the site".
The all new MySpace Music service, which offers an expanded jukebox, more playlisting and sharing functionality, and one button click through to Amazon MP3 sell-through, has so far only launched in the US, though it is expected to be rolled out elsewhere in due course.