Why Warner Records is investing in South Asian artists
South Asian music is experiencing rapid mainstream growth in the US, driven by streaming platforms that enable global access. Warner Records and industry leaders recognize this as a pivotal moment for South Asian artists, with Indian artists seeing over 2000% stream growth in international markets and generating 50% of their platform royalties from outside India.
Summary
The transcript discusses the growing mainstream presence of South Asian music in the United States and globally. The global music industry has demonstrated consistent revenue growth for 11 consecutive years, crossing $30 billion in 2025, with nearly 70% of that revenue generated through streaming platforms. Streaming technology has fundamentally democratized music access, allowing listeners worldwide to discover artists they previously couldn't access. Record companies like Warner are actively investing in South Asian artists and positioning themselves as agents of cultural exchange and collaboration. The data demonstrates significant international appetite for Indian artists specifically—Spotify reported a 2000% increase in streams of Indian artists in international markets between 2019 and 2023. Notably, 50% of all royalties generated by Indian artists on Spotify in 2024 came from listeners outside India, indicating a substantial non-domestic fanbase. Industry observers believe South Asian music is positioned to experience a breakthrough moment similar to previous genre expansions like Afro, Latin American, and K-pop scenes. However, realizing this potential requires appropriate platforms, opportunities, and industry support to elevate the visibility and reach of South Asian artists.
Key Insights
- The global music industry crossed $30 billion in revenue for the first time in 2025, with nearly 70% of that revenue coming from streaming
- Spotify reported Indian artists experienced more than 2000% stream growth in international markets between 2019 and 2023
- 50% of all royalties generated by Indian artists on Spotify's platform in 2024 came from listeners outside of India
- Record companies view streaming and the internet as tools for pushing cultural collaboration and educating audiences through music sharing
- South Asian music is positioned to experience a breakthrough moment comparable to previous genre expansions like Afro, Latin American, and K-pop scenes, contingent on having the right platforms and opportunities
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] South Asian music is becoming increasingly mainstream in the US. Music is becoming more global thanks in part to streaming. The global music industry has seen revenue grow for [music] 11 consecutive years crossing 30 billion dollars for the first time in 2025. Nearly 70% of that revenue came from streaming. >> Through the internet, right? And and and streaming. It's it's global. We all have access to music that we didn't really have access to before. It was a as a record company particularly we we're [0:30] pushing to be different and collaboration and educating [music] each other through music, you know, and sharing our cultures. >> And this growing [music] fan base of South Asian artists is…
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