INDIA: The Dialogue, a public policy think tank, has unveiled Tuning into Change: Empirical Insights Into India’s Evolving Music Industry, a first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed study surveying 1,200 Indian artists. The report highlights India’s booming music-creator economy, its role in cultural diplomacy, the rise of regional talent, and structural challenges that need to be addressed for long-term sustainability. The study, covering artists across 21 languages, outlines key trends and policy recommendations to sustain India’s global music ascent.

First, it highlights concern among Indian musicians about the potential impact of proposed content evaluation standards. Nearly three-fourths (72%) of respondents anticipate such compliance requirements could disrupt music output or delay music releases. 77% worry that global collaborations could become more difficult if these regulations were introduced.

Second, the study underscores the broader implications of regulation for creativity and diversity in the Indian music industry. A staggering 82% of the respondents believe that any new compliance measures, pre-release scrutiny, or alignment with prescribed standards, would limit musical diversity and creative uniqueness. In this context, the overwhelming industry sentiment points to the need for a flexible, balanced framework that nurtures artistic innovation.

Kazim Rizvi, Founder, of The Dialogue, highlighted the transformative phase of India’s music industry, stating, “India is experiencing an unprecedented musical renaissance. The challenge now is to implement frameworks that protect and empower, while ensuring compliance without compromising the dynamism that defines today’s Indian music industry”.

Third, financial constraints emerge as a key concern. If pre-release scrutiny were mandated for music streamed online, 80% of artists predict that compliance costs would strain their budgets. Additionally, 75% of musicians fear that such pre-release content reviews would add operational complexity and thwart creative expression.

Finally, the study points to the strategic interventions that can fuel industry expansion: 51% of musicians emphasize the need to lower entry barriers and facilitate wider access to streaming platforms, while 48% highlight infrastructure gaps in India’s live music ecosystem, signaling an opportunity for investment in performance spaces and technical enablers.

With 46 crore daily streams and industry revenues projected at ₹3,700 crore by 2026, Indian music is at a pivotal moment. Digital platforms drive 87% of revenues, fuelled by millions of paid subscribers. India stands as the second largest music streaming market today second only to the US. The Indian market constitutes 14% of the total Global audio and video streams. Yet, regulatory uncertainties, piracy, and infrastructure gaps may thwart this growth.

Authored by Pranav Bhaskar Tiwari and Garima Saxena from The Dialogue, the report recommends empowering regional artists by investing in recording studios, structured training initiatives, and government-backed grants. To elevate India’s influence in global music, it highlights the need for greater international collaborations, government-facilitated participation in music festivals, and improved infrastructure to promote music tourism. As the industry already operates in compliance with the IT Rules 2021 to tackle harms in the digital space, artists surveyed in the report caution against additional regulatory layers that could hinder growth.

Ensuring comprehensive representation, the survey captured responses from musicians across regional, classical, folk, indie, hip-hop, and contemporary genres. It included musicians who create content in Hindi (69%), English (64%), and various regional languages (15%).

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