Independent label agency Merlin has inked a multi-year deal with UK-born Lickd, a platform that lets video creators legally use copyrighted music and audio in their videos.
The deal comes four months after Lickd secured £5.1 million (approximately $7m) in new funding, which included investment from both Warner Music Group (WMG) and Epic Games, creator of Fortnite.
Merlin says the partnership “injects music from tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists across the globe,” into usable content.
This, says Merlin, opens up revenue streams, and offers prime marketplace exposure for artists.
The platform provides music from independent and major labels for pre-approved licensed use in YouTube videos.
According to Lickd, its proprietary ‘Vouch’ software ensures that, if a user licenses a song from its platform, they can publish their videos without risk and monetize its content, while also ensuring that rightsholders are compensated.
Merlin’s members represent a catalog of music which spans more than 20,000 labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country in the world. This accounts for over 15% of the global music market share, says the company.
On January 11, Merlin elected its new Board, made up of members and representatives from across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania.
Darius Van Arman, who first joined Merlin’s Board in 2015, also stepped into the role of Chairperson.
“It is a win-win for all.”
Paul Sampson, Lickd
Paul Sampson, CEO Lickd, said: “We are over the moon to be working hand-in-hand with Merlin to ensure that creators have access to music from independents – an industry sector that is growing at an exponential rate.
“This partnership will not only offer opportunities for YouTubers and other content creators to expand their income, it will also put independents in a position where they can further maximise their revenue potential.
“It is a win-win for all.”
“We’re delighted to partner with Lickd to power its platform.”
Charlie Lexton, Merlin
Charlie Lexton, COO of Merlin, added: “We’re delighted to partner with Lickd to power its platform and to give creators access to millions of songs from around the world. Our partnership will make the licensing process more streamlined for Merlin members.
“User-generated social video content is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the media and entertainment industries, and we’re thrilled to help keep our members’ music at the forefront.”Music Business Worldwide
