Merlin - CMU | the music business explained

Merlin gears up for legal rumble with bare knuckle fight championship owner Triller over $2.5 million in unpaid fees

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Triller • 3 min read

Merlin gears up for legal rumble with bare knuckle fight championship owner Triller over $2.5 million in unpaid fees

While Triller let many of its music licences lapse a few years ago, indie label digital rights organisation Merlin is still owed $2.5 million from a 2020 licensing deal. The extra payment was due because of a most favoured nation clause in that deal. Merlin has now sued to get its money…

Chris Cooke • 01 Apr 2025

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Daniele Yandel

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Horizon Future Leaders • 4 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Daniele Yandel

As part of our Horizon Future Leaders series of interviews, we are connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys. This week, we caught up with Daniele Yandel, Senior Manager Of Member Operations at Merlin.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 14 Mar 2025

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Quentin Martins Q&A

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Horizon Future Leaders • 4 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Quentin Martins Q&A

As part of our Horizon Future Leaders series, we’re connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys. This week we caught up with Quentin Martins, Senior Manager Of Commercial Partnerships at Merlin.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 17 Jan 2025

IMPALA urges TikTok to re-open Merlin negotiations as we reach the direct deal deadline for indies

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TikTok • 3 min read

IMPALA urges TikTok to re-open Merlin negotiations as we reach the direct deal deadline for indies

IMPALA has written an open letter to TikTok over its decision to abandon licensing talks with Merlin and force indie labels and distributors to sign direct deals by today. It urges TikTok to return to the negotiating table with the global indie label digital licensing organisation…

Chris Cooke • 25 Oct 2024

Exclusive: WIN says TikTok's decision to circumvent Merlin "puts independent labels in an impossible place" and "poses risk to cultural diversity"

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TikTok • 5 min read

Exclusive: WIN says TikTok's decision to circumvent Merlin "puts independent labels in an impossible place" and "poses risk to cultural diversity"

TikTok's decision to circumvent independent music licensing organisation Merlin will harm diversity and puts independent music in an impossible place says WIN, calling on TikTok to come back to the negotiating table with Merlin…

Sam Taylor • 14 Oct 2024

Indie community reacts to TikTok circumventing Merlin

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TikTok • 4 min read

Indie community reacts to TikTok circumventing Merlin

Following the news that TikTok has walked away from licensing negotiations with Merlin, various representatives for the indie label community have issued statements. They dismiss TikTok’s claim that it wants direct deals with indies to combat streaming fraud, arguing it’s all about paying less…

Chris Cooke • 03 Oct 2024

TikTok’s stance on direct licensing is “disingenuous” and risks harming the digital supply chain say industry insiders

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TikTok • 5 min read

TikTok’s stance on direct licensing is “disingenuous” and risks harming the digital supply chain say industry insiders

TikTok wants to do direct licensing deals with Merlin members, cutting Merlin out of the equation. It claims this is to help tackle copyright issues but industry sources have told CMU that in fact it could make things worse, not better - and potentially harm the whole digital supply chain…

Sam Taylor • 02 Oct 2024

Merlin's letter to members about TikTok licensing negotiations

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Merlin • 2 min read

Merlin's letter to members about TikTok licensing negotiations

Merlin has written a letter to its members, saying that TikTok "walked away" from licensing negotiations and intends to pursue direct deals with some Merlin members…

CMU • 01 Oct 2024

Merlin Connect hopes to make it easier for emerging technology platforms to use music

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Merlin • 2 min read

Merlin Connect hopes to make it easier for emerging technology platforms to use music

Merlin launches Merlin Connect to make it easier for emerging technology platforms to access music. The digital rights agency says that licensing music for new platforms can be challenging and expensive…

Chris Cooke • 06 Jun 2024

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Canva • 1 min read

Canva launches music library product

Canva yesterday announced that users of the graphic design platform can now easily insert music into their content from a large catalogue of tracks - it follows deals earlier this year with Warner and Merlin…

Chris Cooke • 10 Nov 2023

Merlin signs up to SoundCloud’s Fan-Powered Royalties

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Merlin • 1 min read

Merlin signs up to SoundCloud’s Fan-Powered Royalties

Indie label digital rights agency Merlin has signed a new licensing deal with SoundCloud to enable its members to take…

Andy Malt • 05 May 2023

Triller • 3 min read

Triller removing music from its app as label deals expire or are “reassessed”

TikTok rival Triller has started removing a load of tracks from its music libraries. Possibly because its deals with the…

Chris Cooke • 05 Dec 2022