Deezer inks deal with LyricFind to incorporate lyric streaming

Paris-based music streaming service Deezer has partnered with Toronto-based LyricFind to launch a lyrics feature.

The deal marks the first time an on-demand streaming service has incorporated lyrics. Deezer users of both the free and premium models can now view lyrics and song sheets, with the ability to choose from two models: Score-Mode (where LyricFind displays the lyrics on a single screen) and Sing-A-Long, where lyrics are synced to the audio, enabling users to sing to lyrics while they’re displayed line by line, in time with the song.

LyricFind co-founder and CEO Darryl Ballantyne told TMN he and co-founder Mohamed Moutadayne had been in talks with Deezer about the integration for “years” but said the ball really got moving following the pair’s meeting at SxSW in March with Deezer’s Platform Partnerships Manager Axel Calandre, its SVP music industry relations Ludovic Pouilly and its exiting CEO Axel Dauchez.

LyricFind currently has licensing deals with 3,000 plus music publishers, including all four majors worldwide. LyricFind is one of the tech industries largest advocates of legal digital content, having inked deals to provide lyrics and licensing services to companies like Amazon, HTC, MTV, Shazam, iHeartRadio and Pandora.

"Working with Deezer to integrate synchronized lyrics creates a much more compelling music service, and will drive substantially more users to pay for music,” Ballantyne told TMN. “Lyrics are incredibly popular content and adding them to Deezer is just one more reason to subscribe to Deezer over piracy."

Ludovic Pouilly, SVP music industry relations at Deezer, said in a statement, "We are delighted with the work done with our partners LyricFind and the music publishers. Thanks to this close collaboration, all music fans can now access to the lyrics in a particularly innovative and enjoyable way".

LyricFind became the service provider for Australia and New Zealand on April 1 this year with APRA AMCOS granting a non-exclusive license to LyricFind on behalf of lyric websites and all AMCOS members, regardless of whether they are published or not. The deal marked the first time LyricFind signed a blanket agreement with a society and allows it to roll out its entire catalogue of services within Australia and New Zealand, giving local sites more content than anywhere else in the world.

:: ONLINE LYRIC LICENSING - PART ONE

:: ONLINE LYRIC LICENSING - PART TWO

In February Deezer closed its Australian office; Thomas Heymann, who headed up operations in Australia and New Zealand, left the company at the same time. The company continues to offer a full service to Australian and New Zealand users, however all operational and business matters are handled from offices in Singapore and Paris.

Deezer also announced the appointment of its new CEO overnight. Dr. Hans-Holger Albrecht will take over from Axel Dauchez in February, who announced his departure in April. Albrecht, who joins Deezer from his role as President and CEO of media company Millicom, will also join Deezer’s Board.