A new TikTok-Merlin licensing deal gives the platform and its access to a huge indie music selection, helping creators make videos.
Recently, TikTok signed a deal with the digital rights agency, Merlin. This deal will give the platform and its users access to a huge library of independent music to use in content. The deal is in effect immediately after the signing. So, Merlin agrees to allow content creators to legally use their licensed music from tens of thousands of indie record labels worldwide in their videos.
TikTok continues to grow
Hailed as the new Vine, TikTok has continued to grow and see success. At its core, music is a huge part of the platform. Users use music to make parody, meme, and lip-syncing videos. Typically, users use music as a way to carry out a joke or make their own memes. But music hasn’t just helped TikTok, TikTok has helped music as well. For instance, the platform helped rocket Lil Nas X (the artist behind “Old Town Road”) into the spotlight. Could this deal help launch some Merlin musicians?
Merlin is one of the top global digital rights agencies for independent labels. It has deals with companies like Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud. This is the first major music deal for TikTok. It could make it much more competitive with other music platforms.
”This partnership with TikTok is very significant for us,” said Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota. “We are seeing a new generation of music services and a new era of music-related consumption, much of it driven by the global demand for independent music. Merlin members are increasingly using TikTok for their marketing campaigns, and today’s partnership ensures that they and their artists can also build new and incremental revenue streams.”
This is just the start
According to reports, this isn’t the only deal for TikTok. There’s reports the platform is in the process of negotiating new deals with the major labels. This just goes to show how much TikTok has grown.