As you’ll know if you’ve read today’s Music Ally Bulletin, MySpace Music went live last night, with US users able to get hands-on with the much-vaunted streaming / downloads service.However, independent rights agency Merlin isn’t impressed with the lack of indie labels on MySpace Music. Although currently in negotiations with MySpace to add its labels to the service, CEO Charles Caldas has slammed the decision to go live without them.”It is incredibly disappointing that MySpace will launch their new service without having finalised a deal with the world’s most important independent labels and artists,” he says in a prepared statement. “It certainly makes Chris DeWolfe’s public statements that the “indie bands are really the heart of MySpace”, ring extremely hollow.”The rest of Caldas’ statement can be read by clicking below.“What is absolutely clear, however, is that any independent deal struck without an equity component (as was done with the majors), will see independent labels face a situation whereby their major competitors will profit from the use of their repertoire without an appropriate upside opportunity being extended to them by MySpace Music and its Major Label equity partners.“Whilst Merlin continues our negotiations, we remain extremely concerned that with MySpace Music the major record labels are acting not only as competitors, but through their equity stakes in the venture, as the clients/end user as well. Without an equitable participation by independents, that creates a situation that is both unhealthy and dangerous.”Merlin, the global rights agency represents the largest basket of rights outside of the majors labels, with a US market share equivalent to that of the smallest majors”
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