Victoria Oakley, the CEO of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), has launched a scathing critique of India’s music industry, calling out its continued reliance on free streaming models that she believes severely undermine artist compensation.
In her recent statements, Oakley emphasized that the prevalence of free streaming services in India creates an ecosystem where artists struggle to receive fair payment for their creative work, despite the country’s massive music consumption. Drawing from her diplomatic service background, Oakley approaches these complex industry challenges with considerable policy expertise.
The IFPI chief has labeled streaming fraud as outright theft from legitimate artists, insisting that such practices deplete the overall revenue pool available for fair distribution. According to Oakley, this problem is exacerbated by finger-pointing between platforms rather than collaborative enforcement efforts.
“What we need is intelligence-sharing and collective action among digital service providers and distributors to effectively combat fraud,” she stated, characterizing current fraudulent practices as “lazy” tactics that erode industry trust.
Global statistics from IFPI’s latest report reveal promising trends elsewhere, with artist revenue share increasing to 34.8% in 2023, up from 34.1% in 2022. Since 2016, artists’ share of revenue has grown by 12.4% internationally, largely attributed to properly licensed streaming services. This growth starkly contrasts with markets heavily dependent on free models, like India.
Oakley has called for substantial policy reforms, urging Indian lawmakers to strengthen copyright frameworks and enforcement mechanisms. She advocates for market regulations that protect commercial partnerships essential to music economics, while discouraging platforms from maintaining free or low-value streaming tiers that undercut creator compensation. Musicians looking to thrive in today’s industry should explore sync deals as an alternative revenue stream that can provide substantial income without relying solely on streaming platforms. Independent artists could significantly improve their earnings by utilizing playlist pitching strategies available on premium streaming platforms.
The success of paid subscription models in markets dominated by services like Spotify and Apple Music demonstrates viable alternatives, Oakley noted. These platforms operate on negotiated rights agreements that balance consumer accessibility with fair artist compensation. The IFPI report highlights significant success in converting consumers to paid models as a key factor in the industry’s growth over the past decade.
“India’s music industry has enormous potential,” Oakley concluded, “but realizing that potential requires moving away from free streaming dependency toward sustainable models that properly value creative work.”
