Merlin has appointed Jon Glass as its General Counsel.
The digital music licensing partner for independent labels and distributors said Glass will lead its Business & Legal Affairs function and take on responsibility for its Partnerships team.
Glass is based in New York and will report to Merlin CEO Charlie Lexton.
Glass joins Merlin after nearly two decades in senior business and legal affairs roles across the recorded music business.
He was most recently Senior Vice President, Head of Digital Legal Affairs at Warner Music Group, which he joined in 2010.
He held several roles at Warner, including Associate Counsel and Vice President, before that promotion.
Before Warner, he worked in digital business and legal affairs at Sony Music Entertainment, and practiced law at several firms, including Morrison & Foerster LLP.
“I want to thank Charlie for this opportunity. Merlin has built an extraordinary reputation across the industry, and I’m excited to be joining at such an important time for independent music.”
Jon Glass
The appointment places Merlin‘s Business & Legal Affairs and Partnerships teams under one leader.
Merlin described the change as part of its “continued progression,” combining “two closely aligned partner-facing functions.”
“Jon is one of the most respected legal executives in the digital music business,” said Charlie Lexton, CEO of Merlin.
“He brings an exceptional combination of legal expertise and commercial judgement with a highly developed understanding of the opportunities and complexities facing Merlin.
“As the digital playing field continues to evolve, we need to ensure we are coordinated in the way we think about the relationships we build with our partners. Bringing our Business & Legal Affairs and Partnerships teams together under Jon’s leadership is designed to do exactly that and will help us deliver even greater value for our members.
“I am delighted to welcome Jon to Merlin.”
“He brings an exceptional combination of legal expertise and commercial judgement with a highly developed understanding of the opportunities and complexities facing Merlin.”
Charlie Lexton, Merlin
Lexton became CEO of Merlin on January 1, 2026, succeeding Jeremy Sirota, who had spent nearly two decades at the company
About his appointment, Glass added: “I want to thank Charlie for this opportunity. Merlin has built an extraordinary reputation across the industry, and I’m excited to be joining at such an important time for independent music.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve watched the digital business develop from downloads to streaming, social platforms, and now AI services.
“I’m looking forward to putting that experience to work for Merlin, its members, and the independent artists those members represent, and working alongside the team here on the organisation’s future legal and partnerships strategy.”
The Partnerships team now moving under Glass has been expanded through a series of recent senior promotions.
Merlin promoted Emma Robinson to VP, Partnerships as part of a series of senior appointments.
That team manages Merlin‘s relationships with digital platforms, including Apple, Canva, ElevenLabs, Meta, Spotify, and YouTube.
Merlin has also continued to expand its licensing relationships across digital and AI platforms.
Recently, Spotify signed a licensing agreement with Merlin for its upcoming fan-made covers and remixing tool, which will allow fans to create covers and remixes of songs from participating Merlin members.
Merlin renewed its multi-year global licensing partnership with Spotify in September 2025.
The company also signed licensing deals with AI platforms including Udio in January 2026.
Under that agreement, Merlin members can opt in to license their recordings to Udio.
Merlin also signed a licensing deal with ElevenLabs for its Eleven Music platform in August 2025.
Merlin says its membership represents around 15% of the global recorded music market, with members in more than 70 countries.
Merlin‘s membership includes independent labels such as Domino, Epitaph, Ninja Tune, Secretly, Sub Pop, and Warp Records.
The organization is funded entirely by a 1.5% admin fee charged to its members.Music Business Worldwide
