NetEase Cloud Music and Merlin have extended their strategic partnership in China to include a wider range of cooperation.
For Merlin members, the multi-year licensing deal will include access to additional marketing and promotional opportunities with the leading interactive music streaming service provider in China.
“Deepening our direct relationship with Merlin marks another important step in our strategy to bring high-quality music with style, character and vitality to our ever-growing user community,” said Ding Bo, VP of NetEase Cloud Music. “The expansive and diverse music of Merlin member labels span the global divide and increase the rich music experience we offer, which brings us closer to this goal.”
Accounting for more than 15% of the global digital music market, Merlin members represent tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country in the world. Last year Merlin renewed its deal with Tencent Music.
NetEase Cloud Music has become a major platform for both international music lovers and artists in China. Its users are actively engaged in reviewing, commenting and sharing music via playlists, which enables music influencers to spread music rapidly.
“We’re always excited to work with partners who are eager to educate our members on how to use their platform, how to engage and build fanbases, and ultimately drive better activations around artists. NetEase has been a fantastic partner on these opportunities,” said Jeremy Sirota, CEO of Merlin. “Independent music is a real focus across the world, including in China, and Merlin is thrilled to renew its partnership with NetEase Cloud Music and bring the largest number of independent labels, distributors and other rights-holders and their artists’ repertoire to the platform.”
“NetEase Cloud Music users are one of the largest consumers of international music in China,” said Mathew Daniel, VP, international at NetEase Cloud Music. “Merlin’s efforts to make a variety of independent music easily accessible has increased independent artists’ exposure to create a more vibrant market. It has been a mutually beneficial partnership and we look forward to providing Merlin’s member artists further opportunities to reach even more fans,”
Merlin and NetEase Cloud Music’s original agreement was established in 2018. The extended partnership grants NetEase Cloud Music’s users access to a more diverse array of music from Merlin’s members around the globe.
The expanded partnership also provides more of Merlin’s members with the ability to increase their fanbase through their exposure to NetEase Cloud Music’s audience in China.
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