The numbers have spoken, and streaming numbers for independent record labels have skyrocketed in 2017. The announcement came from Merlin, a global digital rights agency founded in 2007 designated to support independent labels. Merlin announced that over the 12 months ending in March 2017, royalty payments to its 700+ clients in regards to streaming hit $353 million, which is a 52% increase from the prior year. Merlin and their clients account for about 12%  of the global digital music market.

Source: http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/record-labels/7898285/streaming-royalty-payments-leap-for-indie-labels

Source: http://www.merlinnetwork.org/

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