• YouTube Didn’t Just Beat Netflix. It’s Redefining the Music Business

    Think about the last song you discovered. Chances are, it wasn’t on a paid streaming app. You might have heard it in a YouTube Short, a viral clip, or a creator’s video. While Hollywood was focused on Netflix, YouTube was quietly becoming the world’s most powerful stage. And it is completely changing the game for musicians.

    Today, YouTube is more than a platform. It is a studio, a distributor, and a broadcaster all at once. It doesn’t rely on billion dollar originals. It thrives on creators, algorithms, and the power of Google’s ad machine.

    And it is winning.

    In Q2 2025, YouTube earned nearly ten billion dollars in ad revenue. That is more than Netflix. More than Disney Plus. For six months in a row, it has been the most watched streaming service in the US.

    For music, this shift is enormous.

    The Real Streaming Giant

    YouTube is the world’s biggest music service. Here in India, it reaches over five hundred million users every month. For many people, it is their first music player, not Spotify or Apple Music.

    Every release, every lyric video, every live session ends up here. This is where discovery happens. This is where fan culture grows. And this is where rights must be managed.

    The Creator Model

    Netflix and Spotify pay for content. YouTube does things differently. Creators upload it. Rights holders claim it. Ads run on top.

    That means two things. There is an endless supply of content. And there is endless competition for attention.

    For independent artists, this is both an opportunity and a challenge. You can release a song today and reach millions of people. But you are also competing with millions of other creators.

    The Royalty Question

    Content ID is brilliant technology. It scans every upload and matches it to rights holders. But it also gives YouTube leverage. Disputes, partial claims, and revenue splits can become messy.

    And unlike subscription platforms, payouts depend on ad revenue. If ads drop, so do royalties. Creators and publishers need to stay on top of their metadata, their claims, and their reporting.

    Shorts and Discovery

    Shorts has completely changed the game. Many songs now break first on Shorts before streaming platforms even notice. It has become the new radio.

    Artists who plan for Shorts, reels, and community engagement are finding organic reach. The algorithm loves frequency and cultural timing.

    Why This Matters for Indian Music

    For Indian labels and creators, YouTube is not just for promotion. It is the main release platform. Optimising titles, descriptions, credits, and rights claims can turn views into real revenue.

    Live streams, premieres, memberships, and super chats open more income streams. But this only works if rights and royalties are set up correctly.

    What Comes Next

    YouTube will keep growing. AI music, user generated content, and live sports will fill it with even more material. This will make metadata, rights management, and fair payouts more critical than ever.

    For creators and rights holders, the playbook is clear. Treat YouTube as your primary distribution channel, not an afterthought.

    If you are building music strategy, managing rights, or designing royalty systems, now is the time to get YouTube right. It is where your audience is. It is where the money flows.

    And if you’re building something in music or media, let’s work together to build a strategy that works.

  • The Free vs Paid Streaming Divide: Why Most Indian Users Still Prefer Free

    Most people in India stream music for free.


    Industry estimates suggest only about 20 million listeners actually pay for subscriptions out of nearly 192 million monthly music streamers.

    That means almost 9 out of 10 listeners are on ad-supported plans.

    Great for reach, but not so great for artist payouts.

    Why This Matters

    Free streaming pays much less per play.
    Ads bring in far less revenue than subscriptions.
    This means every stream earns just a fraction of what it could.

    For artists, this makes royalty income unpredictable.
    Your monthly payout depends on ad rates, user activity, and platform revenue: things you cannot control.

    Paid subscribers change that.
    Their fees create a stable pool of money that gets shared with rights holders.
    The more paid users a platform has, the better your earnings per stream.

    Why Listeners Still Choose Free

    Price is the biggest reason.
    Most users do not want to pay when free options exist.

    Family plans and student discounts are still not as widely promoted as in other countries.
    Regional language listeners often feel streaming apps don’t serve them enough local content to justify payment.

    And for many casual listeners, music is background noise, not something they feel they should pay for.

    What You Can Do As A Creator

    1. Check your data. Understand how much of your audience is free vs paid.
    2. Know your streams. Ask your distributor or label for a breakdown of paid vs free listeners. This helps you plan better and target your audience where it counts.
    3. Encourage your fans to support you where it matters. Tell them why a paid stream makes a difference for you.
    4. Do not rely only on streaming income. Think sync, shows, brand deals, merch.
    5. And most important, keep your metadata clean. Register every track so you can collect what you are owed.

    The Bigger Picture

    India will not stay a free-first market forever.
    As more platforms push exclusive content and better features, subscriptions will grow.

    When that happens, those who are already registered and royalty-ready will benefit first.
    If you want to future-proof your earnings, start now.

  • Offline Use And AI Transparency. India’s Next Big Music Rights Frontier.

    I hear music every time I eat out.
    It plays in restaurants, cafes, and hotels.
    Often, it is played without permission.

    The composers of those songs earn no royalty.
    That is not fair.

    At the same time, AI is becoming louder.
    Many creators are worried. They fear their work is used in AI models without consent or credit.

    These are two major cracks in the income streams of creators.

    What Is Happening Now

    People are finally paying attention to non digital breaches.
    Music labels are taking legal action.
    They are targeting hotels, restaurants, and event organisers who use music without licenses.

    The financial loss is huge.
    Industry reports indicate India loses ₹8,000 to 10,000 crore each year to unlicensed music use.
    Brands use music in ads and social media without proper licensing.
    Creators lose out.

    Calls for AI transparency are growing.
    At the recent All About Music conference, the Indian Music Industry pushed for new rules.
    They want disclosure laws that force AI companies to reveal if they use copyrighted music for training.

    The hardest hit are often the unseen creators.
    Session musicians, backing vocalists, and instrumentalists are regularly left out of metadata.
    Their work is essential to hit songs, but they remain unpaid and uncredited.
    This is a long standing injustice.

    Why This Matters Everywhere

    Globally, the streaming market is mature.
    The new battles are over offline rights enforcement and AI fairness.
    India is still building this infrastructure.

    Offline music use is everywhere, but it exists in a legal grey area.
    If creators are not registered, or if reporting is weak, they miss out on royalties.

    AI has similar problems.
    When AI models use content without permission, creators lose control and income.

    What You Can Do Now

    If you are a creator, label, or author, here is what you should do.

    Register your works as early as possible.
    Every song and every instrumental.
    Make sure your performing rights organisation knows who you are.

    Keep an eye on offline venues.
    Find out who is playing your music and where.
    Demand proper licensing.

    Ask for transparency around AI.
    If a tool uses generative AI, ask how your content may be involved.

    Keep your metadata clean.
    Document authorship and ownership clearly.

    Sign contracts that cover sync rights, AI use, and offline rights.

    What To Be Careful Of

    Do not give away too many rights in your contracts.
    Read license terms carefully, especially for offline use.
    Ensure publishers and labels are transparent about revenue sharing.

    Also, keep an eye on new regulations.
    Government policy around licensing and AI transparency will change the industry.

    Protecting Your Value

    Offline music use and AI transparency are two major gaps in how creators earn.

    They are connected.
    Both require clarity, good metadata, and proactive creators.

    If you wait for the rules to change, you may lose revenue.

    Prepare now.
    Make sure your rights are protected.

    When India’s systems catch up, you will be ready to collect what you deserve.

  • Flipkart and Pinkvilla: What It Means for Creators and the Future of Entertainment Commerce

    How celebrity culture, content, and commerce are merging and why musicians and creators must get royalty ready.

    When Flipkart acquired a controlling stake in Pinkvilla, most people saw it as just another media acquisition.

    I see something bigger.

    This is not about clicks and gossip. It is about building a new kind of commerce funnel, one where entertainment, shopping, and culture exist in the same ecosystem.

    Amazon Paved the Way

    Amazon didn’t just build a store; it built an ecosystem. Prime Video, Amazon Music, IMDb, and Alexa work together so that content seamlessly drives consumption. Flipkart never had that.

    With Pinkvilla, they suddenly do.

    The Power of Pinkvilla’s Audience

    Pinkvilla is not small.
    
60 million users a month. 7.2 million Instagram followers. A dedicated audience of Gen Z and millennials whose buying decisions are shaped by celebrity culture.

    Now imagine this: A Pinkvilla interview features a famous actress wearing a designer outfit. Within hours, that same look is tagged and available for purchase on Myntra.

    This is not just inspiration. This is instant commerce.

    The Real Opportunity for Creators

    This is where it becomes truly interesting for musicians and content creators.
    
Pinkvilla already produces video shows and podcasts. Add Flipkart’s distribution and Myntra’s shopping integration, and you create new revenue streams:

    • Massive Visibility for Syncs: Background music in popular shows gains exposure, leading to more plays and ultimately, more royalties.
    • New Sync Opportunities: Independent artists could land placements within branded content or celebrity-led campaigns.
    • Wider Reach: Podcasts and digital videos will achieve broader distribution, creating fresh potential for licensing deals.

    The Critical Caveat: Being Royalty Ready

    However, for these new opportunities to result in actual royalties, the metadata for those tracks must be perfect. This infrastructure is non-negotiable.

    More usage only equals more revenue if your rights are in order.

    The Larger Strategy

    Flipkart isn’t just competing with Amazon Prime. They are creating a direct loop between content, culture, and commerce. Their IPO plans and expansion into quick commerce make the timing strategic.

    For creators, this means one thing: your visibility must be where culture is being created. Platforms like Pinkvilla have evolved beyond gossip. They are becoming a modern version of MTV: a place where music, fashion, lifestyle, and commerce converge.

    The Conclusion

    If Amazon demonstrated that content drives commerce, Flipkart is proving that celebrity culture can accelerate it even further.

    For musicians, authors, and creators, this is an essential space to understand. The key is not just to be visible on these platforms; it is to be royalty ready.

    Ensure your works are properly registered and your metadata is clean. Only then will you get paid when these new revenue streams begin to flow.

    It is a powerful reminder that your work can find its audience, and its revenue, in the most unexpected places.

  • Why Radio and Podcasts Still Matter for Musicians

    A composer in India may never see a rupee from FM radio.
    Songs play. Stations earn. But the creator is invisible in the royalty chain.

    That’s the reality we all know.

    But here’s the twist.

    Digital radio and podcasts are changing that story.

    When your track plays on a station inside Apple Music or TuneIn, it’s not just exposure.
    It’s data.
    And data means royalties.
    The system can actually trace the song back to you; if your rights are in order.

    Podcasts too are turning into discovery platforms. A sync on a Spotify podcast or a feature in an indie show can trigger streams, Shazams, and even licensing requests. One placement can unlock a chain of revenue opportunities.

    The global industry has already seen this shift. In the US and Europe, spins on digital radio feed into performance rights systems.
    Podcasts spark sync deals and catalogue re-discoveries.

    India is behind, but the opportunity is real. FM may rarely pay you directly, but digital platforms are built to. Creators who prepare now will be the first to benefit.

    So what should you do?

    • Make sure your works are properly registered with your publisher or society.
    • Distribute not just to Spotify and YouTube, but also to digital radio services.
    • Track podcast mentions of your songs — and follow up for rights clearance if needed.

    The message is simple.
    Radio and podcasts are no longer “just exposure.”
    They are entry points into the royalty system.
    And if your catalogue is ready, they can still change your story.

  • Why Metadata Could Make or Break Your Music Royalties

    Every song has two lives.
    One is the sound you hear.
    The other is the data behind it.

    That hidden layer is called metadata.
    It tells the world who wrote the song, who performed it, who owns it, and who gets paid.

    When metadata is clean, royalties flow.
    When it is wrong or missing, royalties vanish.

    Why Metadata Matters

    For a composer or lyricist, metadata is proof.
    It links your name to your work in global systems.
    Without it, your song can travel the world and you may never see a rupee.

    For labels and publishers, metadata is the backbone of licensing.
    It powers deals with streaming platforms, film producers, OTT players, and advertisers. Bad data means missed money and broken trust.

    The Common Mistakes

    Here’s what I see most often:

    • Song titles uploaded with typos or inconsistent spellings.
    • Composer and lyricist names entered in short forms like “Ankit” or “Chetan” instead of full names.
    • Ownership splits left blank or misreported.
    • ISRC and ISWC codes not registered or not linked to the right rights holders.

    Each of these errors creates cracks in the system.
    And in those cracks, royalties get lost.

    The Opportunity

    India is still young in terms of digital rights.
    That is both a problem and an opportunity.
    If we fix metadata now, we build a system that actually rewards creators.

    Globally, clean metadata has unlocked billions in sync, publishing, and performance royalties.
    There is no reason Indian composers, authors, and labels should be left behind.

    The Future

    AI is already scanning catalogs, matching works, and flagging disputes.
    Streaming platforms depend entirely on metadata.
    The upcoming Central Music Registry in India will live or die based on data quality.

    The message is clear.
    Metadata is not admin work.
    It is the foundation of your royalties, your career, your rights.

    Creators, labels, publishers: if you do one thing this year, let it be this:


    Get your metadata right. Start by auditing your last five releases, and ensure every field is complete and accurate on your distributor’s portal.

  • The Reality: India’s Copyright Act is Not AI Ready Yet

    Imagine you are a songwriter. Tomorrow you find an AI track on a platform that sounds almost like your last release. Who owns it? Who gets paid? Today, Indian copyright law has no answer.

    India’s Copyright Act, 1957 was written for another time. Even with the big 2012 update that added digital protections, the law says nothing about artificial intelligence. This silence creates three big problems for the music world.

    1. Authorship and Ownership

    The law says the author is a person. Courts interpret this as a human or a company. Purely AI-generated works, with no human input, fall into the public domain. That means no copyright. Anyone can copy or use them. For creators and companies, this destroys value.

    2. Training Data and Infringement

    AI systems learn by scraping content. Your songs or lyrics may already be part of that data. But the law does not clarify if this is fair use or infringement. Rightsholders argue it is theft. AI companies say it is transformative. Until a court decides, it is a grey zone.

    3. Liability and Transparency

    What happens if an AI track copies your melody? Who is responsible? The developer? The user? The platform? No one knows. There is also no rule that forces AI companies to disclose their training data. Without transparency, creators are left in the dark.

    Why There is Confusion

    The government is sending mixed signals:

    • Recent draft copyright rules only spoke about digital payments. They did not touch AI.
    • A committee was formed in April 2025 to study the issue. Their report is not public yet.
    • Ministers have said AI developers need permission to use copyrighted works. But this is policy talk, not law.

    The big test case is ANI versus OpenAI, now in the Delhi High Court. The verdict could push the government to act. Until then, the law is unclear.

    How India Compares Globally

    • In the United States, copyright requires human authorship. Pure AI works cannot be protected. Clear but strict.
    • In the European Union, the AI Act demands transparency and gives rightsholders the power to opt out. Strong focus on creator rights.
    • In the United Kingdom, the law protects computer-generated works. It credits the person who arranged the creation. A progressive model.
    • India sits in the middle. Ambiguous and waiting for reform.

    What Might Happen Next

    The committee will likely look at global models. Possible outcomes include:

    • Adding a clear exception for text and data mining in research.
    • Creating collective licensing or opt-out frameworks for training data.
    • Distinguishing between AI-assisted works, which remain copyrightable, and AI-only works, which may not.

    What This Means for You

    Composers and lyricists should document their process. Show your human input when using AI tools.
    Labels and publishers should start drafting contracts that address AI-created works.
    Artists should not rely only on AI tracks for long-term value. They may not be protectable.
    Tech companies should prepare for licensing systems. Change is coming.

    Closing Thoughts

    India’s talent is unmatched. The creator economy is growing fast. But unless the law keeps up with AI, the people who write, compose, and perform will lose value.

    Right now the law is behind. The government is watching and waiting. For creators, this means living with uncertainty. For companies, it means planning ahead. For all of us, it means pushing for a balance between innovation and rights.

    The next few months will decide if India leads or lags in protecting creativity in the age of AI.

  • India’s Central Music Registry: A Blueprint for the Future of Rights


    India is tackling music’s oldest problem: chaos. By October 2025, a Centralised Digital Music Licensing Registry will launch. This is not just bureaucratic news. I see it as a potential blueprint for the global creator economy.

    Right now, music licensing in India is a fragmented mess. Multiple societies. Manual processes. Endless disputes. Royalties vanish in the chaos. This registry promises to be a single source of truth.

    For creators and publishers, this is the first step toward real transparency. The value is direct. Faster licensing for anyone who needs music. Fewer disputes over ownership. Cleaner metadata ensures royalties reach the right people. Faster. This is how you build trust. This is how you ensure creators get paid. Period.

    The impact will ripple far beyond recordings. The registry was announced at a meeting focused on promoting live events. That connection is critical. Imagine a filmmaker or game developer clearing a song in minutes, not months. This speed could unlock massive value in India’s booming OTT and gaming markets.

    This is how I see it: the world should be watching. While the US navigates complex blanket licenses and Europe operates in silos, India is building a digital-first, centralised system. This is not just an Indian solution. It is a template for every emerging music economy.

    But let us be clear. This registry is not a magic bullet. It is critical infrastructure. Its success hinges on one unglamorous factor: data hygiene. Garbage in, garbage out. The system’s power will only be as good as the metadata we feed it.

    In my experience, the timing is perfect. As AI-generated music floods the market and global rights debates intensify, we need systems built for transparency and speed. India is not just fixing a local problem. It is building a foundation for the next era of music.

    So what does this really mean for creators and labels? The responsibility for accurate metadata now shifts to us. We must get our own data in order. Now.

    The registry is a start. It signals a crucial shift. A move toward a system where technology finally serves creativity, not the other way around.

    The blueprint is drawn. The build starts now.

  • India’s Music Stagnation Is a Warning to the World

    India’s music revenue has slipped. Legacy labels like Saregama and Tips have seen their stock drop. Some say it is a small correction. I believe it signals something deeper.

    The industry has placed too much faith in streaming. That bet is no longer safe.

    This is not just India’s story. It is a warning for the world.

    Streaming Has Stalled

    Streaming rescued music from piracy. It created recurring revenue and global access. But the model is slowing.

    In India, Wynk and Resso have already shut shop. Globally, subscription fatigue is rising. Payouts remain too low for the value music generates.

    Streaming is not the future anymore. It is the present, and it is flattening.

    What Comes Next

    The path forward lies beyond streaming. Four priorities can unlock growth:

    1. Regional and niche catalogues
    India has music in more than 22 languages. Globally, local sounds are travelling faster than ever. Diversity is the next frontier.

    2. Sync and licensing
    Film, OTT, games, and advertising still underpay music relative to its value and audience engagement. Sync is already a lifeline in many markets. It should be central, not secondary.

    3. Creator-direct income
    Fan subscriptions, live shows, memberships, and direct deals are here to stay. Building your own audience is the safest hedge against market shifts.

    4. Policy and rights reform
    Royalties in India are still blocked by weak systems and bad metadata. The same problem exists worldwide still bottlenecked by weak systems. Without clean data and transparent rights management, creators will always lose.

    The Crossroads

    The lesson is clear. Streaming alone will not sustain us. Growth will come when the industry fixes rights, expands licensing, and empowers creators to go direct.

    This moment is make-or-break. For India. For the world.

    And for every artist, composer, and label; the real question is simple:


    Are you chasing streams, or building something that lasts beyond them?

  • Suno Says No Sampling Means No Copyright Infringement. Here’s the Catch.

    What if you could generate a hit song with AI, only to find out you don’t actually own it. It can get  worse, you can’t stop someone else from stealing it? That’s the unsettling reality at the heart of a new legal battle between AI music generator Suno and a group of independent artists.

    Suno’s core defence is bold: their AI doesn’t “sample” music, it generates entirely new sounds. Therefore, they argue, it can’t infringe copyright. It’s a technicality that could reshape the entire industry.

    The Legal Defence: Section 114(b) (U.S.)and “No Sampling”

    At the heart of Suno’s case is a specific part of US copyright law that protects the actual sound of a recording. Suno argues that since it doesn’t copy-paste audio snippets (samples), they are following the law. So even if an AI song sounds identical to an existing track, it isn’t a “sample” in the legal sense.

    It’s a bold stance. If courts accept it, AI music could be shielded from many infringement claims.

    Think of it like this: It’s the difference between someone stealing a master recording from your hard drive (illegal) and a soundalike singer perfectly imitating your voice on a new track (a legal gray area). Suno claims it’s only doing the latter.

    The Other Battle: Copyrightability of AI Works

    But here’s the twist. While Suno is defending itself in court, its own help pages tell users something important:

    • If you’re on the free plan, Suno owns the songs (you can use them only non-commercially).
    • If you’re on Pro or Premier, you own the songs and can monetise them.
    • But and this is key: 100% AI-generated songs may not qualify for copyright protection in many jurisdictions, including the US, because they aren’t created by a human.

    So Suno’s legal defence is about avoiding infringement, but its terms warn users that they might not be able to protect their own songs under copyright law.

    Why This Matters for Creators

    This creates a bizarre “ownership paradox.” You might have a license to sell the song, but you can’t call the police if someone else takes it. This isn’t an abstract legal debate. It’s about whether a creator using AI can build a sustainable career, or if their work will forever be vulnerable to theft with no recourse.

    This dual reality puts creators in a tricky position:

    • You may be able to distribute and monetise your Suno tracks.
    • But if someone copies or mimics them, you may struggle to claim legal protection — unless you’ve added your own human authorship, like writing lyrics or melodies yourself.

    For independent artists, this is the tension. AI tools open new creative doors, but they also raise questions about ownership, protection, and long-term value of IP.

    The Bigger Picture

    Suno’s motion comes as AI companies face lawsuits worldwide — from US majors like Universal and Warner to Germany’s GEMA. At the same time, federal courts have recently sided with AI platforms in book-related cases, strengthening the “fair use” argument for training AI models.

    The outcome of these cases will decide not just whether AI platforms survive, but also how creators and rights-holders get compensated (if at all).

    My Take

    Suno’s argument is clever: “we don’t sample, so we don’t infringe.” But for artists, the bigger issue is different: even if you create something on Suno, can you truly own it?

    Until copyright law catches up, creators using AI music tools should think carefully:

    • Add human authorship (lyrics, composition input) wherever possible.
    • Check licensing terms before distributing AI music.
    • Remember that monetisation ≠ copyright protection.

    The AI music revolution isn’t just about technology. It’s about redefining who gets to own, protect, and profit from creativity.

    So I want to hear from you: Where should the line be drawn? Does a human just need to type the prompt to claim copyright, or should they have to write melodies and lyrics themselves? Share your take in the comments.