India’s music market is one of the world’s fastest-growing, and Sony Music Group has been no slouch in capitalizing on that growth.
In what is just the latest in a series of recent partnerships, Sony Music Entertainment (SME) India has partnered with Mumbai-based film and web series production company Maddock Films to produce music projects including film soundtracks and indie pop singles.
Anchoring the new collaboration will be the soundtrack for the upcoming Hindi film Chhava, starring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna and featuring music by A.R. Rahman.
Sony and Maddock have also announced plans for soundtracks to the dramas Diler featuring Ibrahim Ali Khan, and Ikkis starring Agastya Nanda with music by Sachin-Jigar.
The collaboration will also work on soundtracks for Luka Chhupi 2, Sector 36 starring Vikrant Massey, Sarvagunn Sampan with Vaani Kapoor, and Rumi Ki Sharafat, starring Radhika Madan.
“This collaboration embodies our vision of creating innovative avenues for our artists to connect with audiences,” SME India Managing Director Vinit Thakkar said in a statement.
“Film and music are powerful storytelling mediums, and by combining our musical expertise with Maddock Films’ cinematic vision, we are confident in delivering impactful and unforgettable experiences.”
“Film and music are powerful storytelling mediums, and by combining our musical expertise with Maddock Films’ cinematic vision, we are confident in delivering impactful and unforgettable experiences.”
Vinit Thakkar, Sony Music Entertainment India
“Both Sony Music Entertainment India and Maddock Films have a proven track record of creating chart-topping hits, making this our most significant music collaboration to date,” Maddock Films Founder Dinesh Vijan added.
“Over the next two years, we are committed to building the industry’s most dynamic and successful music partnership.”
The partnership comes just a few weeks after Sony Music Entertainment entered into a global joint venture with Los Angeles-based label D36, which focuses on music from South Asian and the South Asian diaspora.
That follows SME’s launching of a joint venture with Sony Pictures India in 2022 called Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India (SETVI), an entertainment company focused on creating “ventures for media talent in India.”
Sony’s publishing arm has also been busy in the region, signing a global publishing agreement last year with India’s Tips Music, which is behind some of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the 90s and 2000s.
Sony Music Publishing also signed a deal last year with Indian label Big Bang Music, under which SMP administers and promoted Big Bang’s songs globally.
“We are committed to building the industry’s most dynamic and successful music partnership.”
Dinesh Vijan, Maddock Films
Sony’s expansion in the Indian music market comes amid a remarkable boom in music consumption in India, and consumption of Indian music worldwide.
According to the IFPI’s latest annual report, India recorded 15.3% growth in music revenue in 2023, making it the 14th largest global market.
In a report earlier this year, Spotify said consumption of Indian music on its platform grew by 2,000% between 2018 and 2023.
And while the Indian music market remains considerably smaller than the US’s, in terms of consumption, it could soon be larger. Data from Luminate shows that, if current growth trends continue, India could overtake the US as the largest music streaming market by volume as soon as this year.Music Business Worldwide