STOMP Independent of the Year Award 2019
Dutch trade association STOMP has awarded Charles Caldas Independent ofthe Year 2019 to honor him for his great work for independents in his role asCEO of Merlin, the global rights agency for the independent label sector.
Kees van Weijen, president of STOMP and IMPALA: ‘Charles has played a significant role in the evolution of the record industry from physical to digital products, from the outset. Especially by defending independent label rights and striving for a same level playing field, Charles has been of great value. Led by Charles, the independent music sector now has a big market share in the digital world.”
Statement of the STOMP Board
“As CEO, Charles Caldas has been a key figure for Merlin and itsindependent members for over a decade. Since the very beginning of the agency,Charles has been a driving force, making an immense contribution to Merlin’ssuccess.”
During Charles’ time at Merlin, the record industry evolved to embracemusic streaming as a new format. Merlin has made deals with numerous keydigital services like Spotify, YouTube Music, Facebook, Deezer, Alibaba,NetEase, Tencent and many more. During his 12 years as CEO, Caldas hasconnected nearly 900 members, based in 66 different countries, to Merlin. Theagency now embodies more than 20,000 independent record labels anddistributors.
Charles has played a huge role in protecting the rights of independentrecord labels and creating a level playing field. Led by Charles, theindependent sector now enjoys a considerable share of the digital music market.The STOMP board has no doubt that Charles Caldas is the right person to receivethe STOMP Independent of the Year Award 2019.”
Merlin CEO Charles Caldas: “It’s atrue honour to receive this award from STOMP, who have been such greatsupporters of Merlin from the very early days, and such an important force inadvocating for and educating Dutch independents in this ever-changing market.Thank you!”
About the STOMP Independent of the Year Award
The STOMP board invoked theIndependent of the Year Award aiming to widely recognize the work of a personor an organization in the independent music industry in the past year. TheSTOMP board decides on who is to be awarded.
The STOMP Independent of theYear award was awarded for the first time in 2017. Dutch independent labelRotterdam Airlines was being awarded and praised for their strong hold on theDutch spoken hip-hop and urban music genre, challenging the majors who try todominate the genre in the Dutch market. In 2018, Helen Smith was awarded theSTOMP Independent of the Year Award for her work for independent labels inEurope as Executive Chair of IMPALA.
About STOMP
STOMP is the Dutch tradeassociation representing more than 90% of Dutch independent labels. Theassociation represents, organizes and promotes the interests of Dutch indiesnationally as well as internationally.
About Merlin
Merlin is the digital rights agency for the world’sindependent label sector.
The organisation’s members command in excess of 12% of thedigital recorded music market and embody more than 20,000 independent recordlabels and distributors from 66 countries.
These include Altafonte Distribution, Armada Music, Because Music, Beggars Group, Domino, EpitaphRecords, FUGA, IDOL, !K7, Kobalt Label Services/AWAL, Kontor New Media, NinjaTune, PIAS, Redeye Distribution, Secretly Group, The state51 Conspiracy,Wagram, Warp Records, and Zebralution, representing some of the world’smost important and successful artists.
Merlin acts to ensure these companies have effective accessto new and emerging revenue streams and that their rights are appropriatelyvalued and protected.
Since commencing operations in May 2008, Merlin has licensedover 25 key digital services including Facebook, YouTube Music, Spotify,Deezer, Pandora, Alibaba, NetEase and Tencent, and has reached a number of highvalue copyright infringement settlements on behalf of its members.
Merlin has won ‘Independent Champion’ at the A2IM LiberaAwards three times - in ‘15, ‘16 and ‘18. The company’s CEO, Charles Caldas,has been recognised by Billboard in its 2019 list of the 100 most influentialpeople in the music business, for the second year running, while Merlin hasbeen named as an advocate for the publication’s 2018 ‘Indie Power Players’.
Merlin has offices in London, New York and Tokyo, with ahead office in Amsterdam.