Indian Music’s Global Rise: What 2025 Means For The Next Wave Of Creators

In 2024, Indian artists were discovered more than 11.2 billion times by first-time listeners on Spotify, a 13 per cent year-on-year increase. Even more telling is what happened beyond India’s borders: streams of Indian artists in international markets grew by over 2,000 per cent between 2019 and 2023. On the surface, these numbers suggest that discovery is no longer the problem it once was.

What 2025 truly signals, however, is a deeper shift in the creator challenge. Being heard is only the beginning. The real test now lies in converting attention into repeat listens, repeat commissions and, crucially, repeatable income, without losing ownership or rights along the way. This feels like a “systems year” for music: the work can travel globally, but sustainable careers depend on how collectable and well-structured that work is.

Music is also moving decisively beyond a single income model. Over the past year, multiple signals point to a broader, more complex ecosystem. IPRS reported collections of Rs 741.6 crore in FY 2024–25, a 42 per cent rise, with distributions touching Rs 608.8 crore. India’s live events segment crossed Rs 12,000 crore in 2024, according to EY, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19 per cent over the next three years. Meanwhile, Spotify’s Loud & Clear 2025 reporting shows that nearly half of the royalties generated by Indian artists in 2024 came from outside the country.

Yet despite this growth, many creators still feel financially squeezed. The reason is fragmentation. Streaming, publishing, live performances, session work, brand partnerships and sync licensing each operate on different timelines, paperwork and intermediaries. Value is often lost in the gaps. The next wave of successful creators will be those who can operate across these lanes without letting administrative chaos erode their earnings.

Exportability today is not just about sound; it is about systems. While India’s Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 strengthened statutory protections for authors and performers, real-world payouts still depend on whether works are properly documented, credited and claimable. Increasingly, being “professional” in 2025 means having accurate credits and split sheets from day one, consistent naming across releases, correct ISRC and ISWC data, and deliverables that align with how platforms and clients ingest music. None of this is glamorous, but this is precisely where money leaks. Clean data is what allows creators to be found, credited and paid, again and again.

As the creator economy expands, the constraint is shifting from opportunity to capability. Both government and industry are now formalising skilling pathways across the creative-tech ecosystem. The government-backed National Centre of Excellence for AVGC-XR, highlighted by the Press Information Bureau, reflects this push. For music professionals, this matters because careers increasingly cut across music production, live sound, audio post-production, gaming and creator-led content. Talent alone is no longer enough; the workforce needs to be job-ready.

This is where studio-embedded training models gain relevance. In 2025, the globally renowned Abbey Road Institute opened in Mumbai, based inside Bay Owl Studios. Its one-year Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering is built around hands-on studio practice, mirroring how modern music careers actually function.

Ultimately, the next phase of Indian music will not be defined only by who gets heard, but by who gets credited, collected and rehired. The global movement is already underway. What 2025 brings is clarity: attention is not the scarce resource, infrastructure is. The creators and teams who thrive will be those who pair a distinct creative voice with clean rights management, reliable delivery and repeatable professional habits. For anyone looking to collaborate, whether as a creator, brand, label, platform or educator — the focus must shift to building an ecosystem that makes creative work truly collectable for everyone.