Episode 99: Why India Is Becoming Music’s Next Global Powerhouse

Royalties don’t disappear, they get stuck. When the data can’t identify you, the system can’t pay you, even if the money has been collected. That’s why I wanted to bring on Amit Dubey from Beat Street Music and Publishing in Mumbai, India; a specialist in the unglamorous back end of the music business - rights documentation, metadata accuracy, publishing administration, royalty tracking, and recovery. We dig into how India’s music rights ecosystem compares with the UK and US, starting with the basics: composition rights, sound recording rights, and usage. From there, Amit explains the real gap in India, not structure but execution. We talk IPRS membership, why many creators still misunderstand music publishing, and the three reasons royalties end up in a “black box”: unclear splits, poor metadata, and missing registrations. If you’ve ever wondered why a track can trend and still not pay properly, this conversation gives you a checklist mindset. We also look ahead at what could improve next: stronger reporting practices across radio, TV, OTT, and public performances, wider cue sheet adoption, and a culture of data discipline at the source. Amit breaks down Sangeet Dwar, India’s push towards a single licensing window for public performance, and we finish on how independent music is growing and how streaming economics and short-form platforms are reshaping creative choices. If you care about the Indian music industry, music publishing, copyright, and getting paid fairly from royalties, you’ll want this one. If it helps, subscribe, share it with one music creator, and leave a review telling us what topic you want next.https://beatstreetmusic.coReach out to me ! Support the showEnjoyed this episode? Subscribe to The Music Business Buddy Brief for weekly insights on the future of the music industry, AI, artist development, rights and the creator economy. The podcast explains what's happening. The newsletter explains why it matters.Join The Music Business Buddy Brief for exclusive weekly insights on the future of the music industry.Subscribe: https://themusicbusinessbuddy.beehiiv.comWebsiteswww.jonnyamos.comhttps://themusicbusinessbuddy.buzzsprout.comInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/themusicbusinessbuddypodcast/https://www.instagram.com/jonny_amos/[email protected] Sign Uphttps://themusicbusinessbuddy.beehiiv.com