Learn about Indie Music as Digital Revenue Stream


There is little doubt that music is highly commercialised in today’s world. That’s why a lot of singers and musicians are realizing music independently as well and trying to turn the independent music industry much larger.


There are even some up and coming artists who are averse to the idea of popular music in Bollywood. However, India thrives on Bollywood and to completely write it off would be wrong.

The digital numbers for indie artists have steadily risen over the last decade, contributing to their income.


Some Recent Developments –


The Technology:
Since 2014, we’ve seen the change of mobile internet technology from 2G to 3G and now 4G. Companies such as Gaana, Saavn, Sabakuch, etc have paid more attention to improving their mobile app facilities.

Reaching Out:
Independent artists now have platforms to reach out directly to the fan base. Free music online websites and streaming services such as YouTube, iTunes, have enhanced their visibility on a global level

Music Festivals:
From underground metal bands to popular artists in the world, India is now host to some of the very best music festivals. Touring the festival circuit makes the whole scene financially viable for indie artists. For the organizers too, they are a great season. Fests like NH7 Weekender, Escape Festival, Sunburn Festival are among such popular events

The Breaking of Myth:
There has never been a better time to have your own record label as an Indy player. Sources like dittomusic have shown that the myth that indie music industry is only about 20% of the global music industry, has been completely shattered. Look at this infographic below


Some Challenges –


  • The first major challenge posed by the music industry is of Piracy. With growing streaming options, the amount of piracy has also grown exponentially.

  • A second challenge is that most independent music promoters link the album’s release to a film’s release (Film OST). They haven’t been able to come up with a stand-alone mode for marketing and promotion. So, the challenge lies in finding a marketing strategy targeted toward the users beyond YouTube.

  • Just like with royalty free stock photos, musicians too can face hurdle with royalty collection companiestrying to get additional royalties for music which has already been compensated for or causing trouble with fans, the actions of these companies can cause serious damage.

  • Overshadowing by Bollywood is also another major problem. The visibility of this alternate content thus remains a challenge. There is a certain asymmetry in India’s country scene. While artists do come from abroad, but the country’s local talent can barely be seen performing overseas.

  • There is a need for the artists to have a separate set of accounts that shows the predicted and actual earning of revenue from different music sources. This proves useful while making budgets for their grant applications and for filing taxes for their music business actions.


The digital revenue streams for indie artists are still at a basic level, however the growing number of online platforms for them to sell their new songs is an indication of the prevailing sense in the industry has a market besides the mainstream listeners.

Write back in the comments section about what you agree or don’t agree with here. Suggest some independent artists or their songs and share them with everyone. And, thanks for reading!
Source : https://sabakuch.com/blog/2017/06/29/learn-about-indie-music-as-digital-revenue-stream/ 

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