London - European online music store Datz this week announced the launch of a new unlimited download service that provides DRM-free MP3 tracks for an annual fee of about $160. Powered by 24-7 Entertainment, the Datz Music Lounge will feature tracks from major labels Warner Music Group (NYSE: WMG) and EMI, as well as independents including The Orchard and Beggars Group. One stipulation is that users purchase a kit that includes a USB key that must be inserted into a PC to access the service.

San Francisco - Social music service Imeem on Wednesday announced a worldwide licensing and marketing partnership with independent label groups Matador and Beggars Group, which will make their entire music and video catalogs available for free streaming on Imeem. Beggars and Matador will also feature Imeem's embeddable music and video playlists across its artists' websites. Imeem says it reaches over 100 million people a month through its website and network of music and video playlists embedded across the Web.

New York - Qtrax, a company developing a free, ad-supported, peer-to-peer file-sharing service, announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement to include the catalog of U.K. independent label network Beggars Group. The deal includes tracks from artists on labels including Beggars Banquet, 4AD, XL Recordings and Matador Records. The company also recently signed deals with EMI Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and TVT Records.

New York - AmieStreet.com, an online music retailer that offers variable song pricing, announced on Tuesday that top independent labels Beggars Group, Matador Records and Polyvinyl Recording have signed on to use its service. The Amazon.com-backed company offers "fan-driven" pricing, where songs are initially free and then rise in price based on popularity, up to 98 cents. With the new deals, AmieStreet.com will now offer songs from artists including Cat Power, Sigur Ros, Pavement, Yo La Tengo and Interpol.

Cannes, France - RoyaltyShare announced on Monday that U.K.-based independent label consortium Beggars Group will use its services to handle back-end processing of information. The label group already uses RoyaltyShare's Musicalc software for royalty processing on its digital sales.

New York - Digital music retailer eMusic said on Wednesday that it has renewed licensing agreements with four top independent labels: Beggars Group, Matador, Concord Music Group and ATO Records. Additionally, the company said its overall label roster now includes 20,000 independent labels, while its catalog now surpasses 2.8 million tracks.

Los Angeles - Merlin, a newly-created trade group that will represent independent record labels in online negotiations worldwide, on Monday announced its official launch and the appointment of a 15-member board.