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Independent Artists Are Taking Over Indian Music — And the Numbers Prove It

India now has over 200 million music listeners on streaming platforms — and the fastest-growing part of that audience is not listening to Bollywood. Independent music's share of streams has been growing consistently, with industry estimates putting independent catalogue growth in India at 30–40% year-over-year over the last three years.

Bollywood's share is shrinking

Film music and major-label catalogues still account for the majority of streams, but that dominance is eroding. Bollywood's share of listening keeps declining as independent artists claim a growing percentage of listening time. Artists like Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, Banjaare, and Hanumankind have broken through on the back of streaming alone — without a film song, a label deal, or a television appearance.

Regional languages are leading the charge

The growth is not just in Hindi and English. Regional-language independent music is exploding — Punjabi, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, and Haryanvi artists are building real fanbases outside the film ecosystem. Discovery has been democratised by social media, and internet access reaching the last mile in India means a singer from a small town can find a global audience without leaving home.

The creator economy tail is long

The total addressable base in India alone is in the hundreds of thousands of independent creators. These are artists who need infrastructure, not gatekeepers: distribution, royalty transparency, and global reach — the same tools Western artists have had for years.

Globally, independent artists and labels now account for approximately 35% of streaming revenue, up from 31% in 2024. Top independent artists earn 3x to 5x more per fan through direct channels than through streaming alone.

What this means for you

If you are an independent artist in India, the moment has never been better. The audience is there. The tools are there. What matters now is quality, consistency, and a distribution partner that treats your catalogue seriously.

At The Imaginary Records, we review every demo carefully and only onboard original artists with genuine quality work. No AI content, no random submissions — just real music, distributed to 200+ platforms worldwide.

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