What 2026 Holds For India’s Music Industry: A Year Of Reckoning, Reset And Real Value
If the last few years in Indian music felt loud, crowded and algorithm-heavy, 2026 may finally be the year the industry pauses, recalibrates and grows up.
From an explosion of releases and creator noise to deeper questions around sustainability, monetisation and fairness, the Indian music business is entering what many leaders are calling a defining phase. Not just of growth, but of reckoning.
“2026 is the turning point for music,the year of reckoning for an industry undergoing deep change,” says Mandar Thakur, CEO, Times Music.
“There’s been a lot of loud noise in the marketplace. This year, ideally, will be creativity-led,as opposed to similar-sounding, random drops of music that have plagued us over the last couple of years.”
BRIEF26 | Rakesh Nigam of IPRS: A year of purpose, progress and possibility
As I reflect back on 2025, I recollect meaningful progress and milestones achieved for IPRS and the creator community we serve. We connected with creators, listened to their queries and in response, initiated creator-focused programs which are practical and purposeful.
More than anything, 2025 reaffirmed a belief I hold strongly: the long-term strength of the music ecosystem depends on education, access, visibility, and fair compensation moving forward together.
According to the global CISAC Report 2025, India ranks second as the fastest growing music publishing markets globally. In FY 24-25, royalty collections grew over 40%, crossing ₹740 crore, clearly showing India’s transition from being largely a consumption driven market to a rapidly maturing rights and royalty ecosystem. Digital streaming royalty collections crossed ₹600 crore, a nearly 60% year-on-year growth. Public performance royalties surpassed ₹100 crore for the first time in our history.
Read More:https://mediabrief.com/brief26-rakesh-nigam-of-iprs/
New Year parties get a copyright check as IPRS tightens music licence enforcement
As New Year’s Eve approaches and big cities gear up for packed parties, music is once again set to be the heartbeat of celebrations. But this festive season comes with a clear warning for hotels, clubs, restaurants and event organisers: playing copyrighted music without a valid license could invite trouble.
The Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) has signalled stricter enforcement in the weeks ahead, making music licences a must-have as party calendars fill up and compliance moves firmly into the spotlight.
It has stepped up legal action against unlicensed public performance of music in Bengaluru, Delhi and Calcutta, targeting commercial venues and year-end events playing copyrighted music without mandatory licenses.
‘Royalties are not perks; they are the foundation of a creator’s livelihood’
India’s music industry is riding a historic growth wave, with creator revenues rising 40.5% in 2024 to EUR 80.5 million, according to the CISAC Global Collections Report 2025. The report ranks India among the fastest-growing music markets globally, driven largely by the explosive rise of streaming and digital consumption. Yet, industry leaders caution that this success masks a deep structural imbalance, one that could limit the long-term sustainability of the creative economy. Composer and IPRS board member Salim Merchant underlined the stakes for creators, saying, “Royalties are not perks they are the rightful earnings for the music we create. For lyricists and composers, these revenues allow us to focus fully on our craft and create without limitations.”
India Govt Launches JWG with Live Events Industry; BookMyShow, District, Wizcraft Join Mission for 20M Jobs by 2030
The Government of India has formally initiated a structured dialogue to boost the country’s fast-growing live events and concert economy, with the first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) convened in the capital under the chairmanship of Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
The JWG, constituted in July 2025 under the direction of Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, aims to position India among the Top 5 global live entertainment destinations by 2030, with the potential to generate 15–20 million jobs and drive growth in infrastructure, tourism, and cultural soft power.