EMI Partners With 'Google for Music Licensing'

Purported World's Largest Online Music Marketplace to Gain One Million Tracks

Posted by Mike Tunnicliffe on 02.13.08 @ 10:45 AM

EMI Music has struck a global agreement with Ricall that will enable the reputed world's largest online business-to-business music database to license the music major's works for third-party synchronization. Ricall will also source and license premium licensing deals by linking-up EMI tracks with consumer brands and by acting as a conduit for brands to build broader brand-music partnerships with EMI's roster of artists (which include The Beatles, Lily Allen and Hot Chip among others). Sony BMG struck a similar licensing pact with Ricall in early 2007.

EMI will upload its entire global catalog of over 1 million recordings onto the Ricall database, which currently includes more than three million tracks from 25,000 copyright owners. The basic service is free to users, who can select and license the tracks online. The search technology which enables users to search for songs against multiple variables and criteria is such that industry users in London, where the company started, refer to it as "Google for music licensing."

Whilst being a major part of the UK sync licensing community for some time, Ricall has recently branched out into all major global markets. At this year's international music conference MIDEM, the music marketplace announced a joint venture with leading Chinese music company Ocean Butterflies and a partnership with copyright and licensing company Diamond Time for North America, where Ricall has recently launched a new site.