Merlin: Global Rights Body for Independent Music Grows to 8% Share of US Market

NEW YORK, NY, Jun 11 (MARKET WIRE) --

-- Membership Tops 12,000 Labels In 1st Month
-- UK Members Command 75% Market Share Of The Top 75 Independent albums
of 2007

Merlin, the world's first global rights body for independent music,
hasseen its membership swell to over 12,000 labels in its first month of full
operation -- representing, without a doubt, the largest and most commercially
significant bundle of music rights outside the majors. This brings their
current market share in the US alone to over 8%, equal to that of EMI Music.

Merlin's mission, announced at MIDEM last year, is to represent the
world'sindependent sector and act as an efficient central point of entry to the
music it represents, in particular for digital, new media and web 2.0 rights.
Merlin provides an unprecedented efficiency in bringing together the world's
most
commercially important independent repertoire in one place.

"Merlin is a major development for the independent music sector and the
services who use our music. With the repertoires of independent US music market
leading labels and distributors (such as KOCH, Epitaph, IODA, Beggars and
Concord) and thousands of other independent rights owners now available
through Merlin, we send a clear message to the industry at large that valuable
independent content is now more accessible, and more easily licensed than it has
ever been," explains Merlin Chairman and President of KOCH Records, Bob
Frank.

Worldwide membership numbers are even more dramatic, with members commanding
72%
of Europe's top 60 independent albums for the past three years and a 75% UK
market share of the top 75 independent albums in 2007.

Merlin will only act when its globally elected board deems it appropriate --
in the
best interest of its members -- with all profits being distributed to members.
The pioneering rights body is currently in discussions with Last.FM and
MySpace as well as other major digital companies to ensure competitive
remuneration for independents worldwide.

"Independents have, until now, found it difficult to access many of the
newand emerging online services in a commercially effective manner," explains
Merlin
CEO, Charles Caldas. "In Merlin, independents finally have a commercial
body that can act to ensure their rights are centrally represented, fairly
remunerated and properly protected in the marketplace."

As the latest industry figures show global indie share is just under 30%
ofthe global market, and 80% of all new releases, Merlin rebuts the growing
assumption that, for emerging media, only the four majors need to be
licensed.

For more information go to www.merlinnetwork.org.

Contact:
Jody L. Miller
Email Contact
Pam Workman
Email Contact
JLMPR Inc., New York, NY
212 431 5227

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