Deezer Reinforces Commitment to Independent Artists Through Renewed Merlin Partnership

Deezer, a global music streaming service, has recently announced that it is extending its partnership with Merlin, the renowned independent music licensing partner. This collaboration is essential for the music industry as it looks to establish a more equitable valuation system for music created by independent artists. Deezer's initiative reflects an increased effort to support the often underrepresented sector of independent music creators.

Benefiting Independent Creators

The reaffirmed alliance between Deezer and Merlin centers on empowering labels, distributors, and other rights holders within the Merlin network. The aim is to adopt an artist-focused streaming payment model, which endeavors to accurately recognize and compensate artists based on true fan engagement.

A New Streaming Model

In a bold move, Deezer has pioneered a new user-centric payment system, which currently operates exclusively in France. This innovative approach is designed to allocate royalties in a more fair manner, taking into account the level of active listener involvement. Artists who captivate and engage their audience can see a more favorable return on their creative output. This differs from the traditional streaming revenue models which typically distribute earnings based on overall market share of streams.

Encouraging Genuine Engagement

Under this new model, an artist's compensation is linked to the dedication of their fans, rather than the sheer quantity of plays. Deezer believes that this will not only remunerate artists more fairly but will also help restore music to its deserved cultural stature by rewarding genuine fan-artist connections and strengthening anti-fraud measures.

Executive Perspectives

Jeronimo Folgueira, CEO of Deezer, has praised this advancement towards a 'fairer streaming remuneration model for artists,' signaling Deezer's commitment to pioneering positive change in how music streaming platforms support creative talent.

Deezer, Merlin, Streaming