Devraj Sanyal on Music Industry, Streaming Revolution & Future of Artists | The Music Podcast

#TheMusicPodcast #DevrajSanyal #MusicBusiness #StreamingEconomy #UMG #artistdevelopment We are thrilled to welcome Devraj Sanyal, the powerhouse behind Universal Music India & South Asia, to this episode of The Music Podcast! With over a decade at the helm, Devraj has played a key role in shaping the Indian music landscape, driving artist growth, and navigating the digital revolution. In this insightful conversation, He breaks down how India once outpaced China in music rankings but has now reached a plateau, explaining what it will take to reclaim momentum. Addressing the transformation from a piracy-driven market to a subscription economy, he sheds light on how platforms like YouTube and Google are influencing revenue models, where ad-supported music stands today, and why owning one’s listening experience is becoming increasingly valuable. We are also delighted to be joined by Aayushman Sinha, founder of Represent Talent Management, as a co-host for this episode! As the conversation unfolds, Devraj offers exclusive insights into UMG’s approach to artist development, how their A&R, data, and global partnerships are shaping the future, and what managers, artists, and companies need to know before approaching Universal Music. He also touches on India's trajectory in the global music industry, why he believes the country will be among the top five music markets by 2030, and the critical role that social media, algorithms, and digital strategies play in determining an artist’s success. Devraj’s Socials : Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/devsanyal/?hl=en, LinkedIn - https://in.linkedin.com/in/devraj-sanyal-5b71034 X - https://twitter.com/DevrajSanyal Unified Music Group: https://www.universalmusic.com/mass-appeal-and-universal-music-india-to-launch-mass-appeal-india/ LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/universalmusicgroup?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/universalmusicgroup/, Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UniversalMusicGroup/, X - https://twitter.com/UMG ------------------------- EPISODE CHAPTERS : 00:00 - Precap 01:23 - Disclaimer & Intro 04:28 - Comparison with China’s Music Industry 09:20 - The Piracy Problem! 18:38 - Listener’s Data 21:37 - Paid Consumption in India 29:39 - When to Start a Label? 39:30 - Lack of Talent Development 48:08 - Financial Standards of the Industry 53:31 - How to start a Record Label? 01:00:29 - Diversification of Music Business 1:14:47 - Density of Music Releases 1:29:40 - The ‘Fish Curve’ 01:30:48 - MOST VALUABLE SKILL 01:32:39 - Art of Making Money 01:33:51 - Social Media Activities 01:39:11 - Working Opportunity with Universal 02:08:38 - Future of English Music in India 02:17:23 - The ‘I-POP’ Sensation 02:21:13 - TM Ventures and Universal 02:41:55 - Represent Management X Universal 02:44:06 - #AsktheGuest02:51:35 - Control of Data in Scouting 02:54:46 - Formal Education in Music 02:57:44 - Staying in Universal for 14 Years! 03:00:14 - Global Music Industry Insights 03:03:39 - Thankyou! 03:05:25 - Outro ------------------------- 🎧 Listen to this episode of The Music Podcast on all major audio streaming platforms! Hit Like, Share, and Subscribe to The Music Podcast! Let us know your thoughts in the comments and suggest future guests or questions you’d like us to ask. Connect with us at [email protected] and join our growing community. ------------------------- Host: Tarsame Mittal Co-Host:Aayushman Sinha Guests: Devraj Sanyal Audio Credits: Dialogue Editor, Mix and Master by Nikhil Bhagwat Producer - Vinita Sabberwal Business Head - Dimple Mehta THE CREW: Content Team - Abhineet Mandal, Janice Fernandes Head of Production – Sahil Choubey Post Production - Srinivas Rao, Ashutosh Surendra Kharunkar, Piyush Rajpoot Content Researcher – Princy Surana