Merlin Network, or just Merlin, is a non-profit organization charged with "representing independent music companies in enhancing the commercial exploitation of their copyrights on a global basis." Merlin's mission is "to represent the world's independent music 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 membership, according to a June 2008 press release by the organization, included over 12,000 labels, aggregators and rights representatives. The same press release claims the group has a market share equal to that of EMI

EMI

The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

. It also says Merlin is a point of contact for licensing music from its members, specifically that "those seeking music licenses of independent music will now have a single place to clear such rights, resolving the argument made by content providers that it's too cumbersome to navigate a multitude of independent rights holders."