As India’s digital landscape continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, music creators across the subcontinent are experiencing unprecedented opportunities for growth and global recognition. The projected 19.1% growth in recorded music, podcasts, and radio segments between 2020 and 2025 signals a transformative period for the industry, creating a fertile environment where artists can now navigate professional deals without expensive legal intermediaries.
India’s digital revolution is unlocking unprecedented global opportunities for music creators while democratizing access to professional industry deals.
Indian artists have made remarkable strides on global platforms, with Spotify reporting over 11.2 billion first-time discoveries by international listeners in 2024 alone—a 13% increase from the previous year. This expanding reach has translated to nearly half of Indian artists’ royalties now coming from international audiences, fundamentally altering the economic equation for creators. The number of Indian artists earning over ₹5 million has more than doubled since 2022, demonstrating significant financial progress.
The domestic market remains equally robust, with over 90% of tracks on Spotify India’s daily Top 50 playlist created by local artists. The diversification of revenue streams has been particularly notable for regional-language content creators.
Artists working in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and other vernacular languages are capturing an increasingly substantial share of music consumption and monetization. This shift represents a broader evolution in India’s music ecosystem from traditional film soundtrack dominance to independent and regional music gaining prominence, providing creators with direct access to audiences and revenue. The rise of platforms like Krowdmix and Soundtrap India has further empowered artists by diminishing major labels’ gatekeeper status. Many creators are now exploring sync deals to license their music for Bollywood films, regional cinema, and the growing Indian gaming industry. Independent artists are leveraging playlist pitching strategies across multiple streaming platforms to gain visibility without traditional promotional infrastructure.
Despite these positive trends, challenges persist in the creator economy. Only 60% of Indian music creators can sustain themselves solely through music, with many still relying on one-time payments and live performances rather than consistent royalties. The subscription streaming market remains underdeveloped, with only about 10% of Indian streaming users opting for paid services.
The evolving digital infrastructure, however, continues to lower barriers for emerging artists. The combination of increasing mobile penetration, affordable data, and streaming platform growth has created pathways for creators to distribute their work independently, drastically reducing the legal complexities that once made professional deals inaccessible without specialized counsel.
This democratization of the industry represents a pivotal shift in how India’s diverse musical talents can now reach audiences and monetize their creativity.
