Beyond the Catalog: Strategies for Scaling India's Music Streaming Economy

The numbers show a country deeply engaged with audio: 96% of smartphone users listen to music, while 80% spend more than an hour a day doing it. The twist is that this huge habit has not yet translated into video-style subscription growth.

The audience is already there — the upgrade is not

EY estimates that India had around 14 million paid music subscriptions in 2025, compared with more than 200 million paid video subscriptions. That gap is the central challenge for platforms, labels and artists trying to build a stronger streaming economy.

This is not simply a story about consumers refusing to pay for digital entertainment. More than 80% of respondents in the report said they pay for video OTT services. The difference appears to be how people perceive the products: video is often treated as exclusive, while music is widely available through free alternatives.

That makes the streaming pitch a technical and emotional one. A listener who can already hear a track for free needs a reason to move to premium. In audio terms, the upgrade has to be more than a bigger catalogue. It needs to improve the entire listening chain — from the first tap to the final replay.

The report points to convenience as a major payment driver. Ad-free listening, superior audio quality, playback control and offline access are among the strongest reasons subscribers choose to pay. For anyone who listens closely, that combination makes sense: cleaner playback, fewer interruptions and more control can change the feel of an arrangement, especially when a song relies on delicate vocal texture, layered synth loops or a carefully built crescendo.

Bundles could change the everyday listening habit

The streaming market is also moving towards bundled digital spending. Gizbot reports that Reliance Jio has launched 3-in-1 home packs in India, combining high-speed Wi-Fi, television and OTT subscriptions from Rs 400 per month.

The reported offer includes standalone options as well as a complete bundle. The premium 3-in-1 plan combines fibre broadband with more than 1,000 live TV channels and access to over 12 mainstream OTT applications, including Zee5, Sony LIV and JioHotstar. Jio is also offering complimentary doorstep installation for new plans, along with ongoing maintenance support.

For music, the important point is not just the price of a household package. It is the way entertainment access is being packaged as a single utility. When connectivity, television and streaming sit on one bill, music platforms have a clearer opportunity to become part of the daily home routine rather than a separate subscription users must consciously add.

That matters in India, where music already travels through commutes, workouts, workdays and downtime. The next phase may be won by services that remove friction at every stage: discovery, payment, playback and continued use.

The “fence-sitters” are the key replay audience

EY identifies a group of consumers who are comfortable paying for digital services but have not yet subscribed to music platforms. Converting these “fence-sitters” could become one of the industry’s biggest growth opportunities.

For listeners, the practical question is straightforward: what would actually make a paid music service worth keeping? If the answer is only access to songs already available elsewhere, the subscription pitch remains thin. If the answer includes reliable offline playback, better audio quality, ad-free sessions and useful playback control, platforms have a more convincing product to build around.

That also puts pressure on the music business to make premium experiences feel distinct without losing the immediacy that made streaming so powerful. The winning mix may involve sharper personalization, smoother interfaces and playback that respects how people actually listen — not just how platforms count streams.

The report’s message is therefore less about India needing more music and more about the country needing a stronger value proposition around music. As the market develops, watch whether platforms improve the listening experience itself, whether bundles bring more households into paid ecosystems, and whether those fence-sitters finally find a reason to press subscribe.

For a broader look at constructive developments beyond the entertainment cycle, readers can also explore positive news and articles. As for music streaming, the real test is replay value: not whether a service can deliver one hit, but whether its mix, control and convenience keep listeners coming back.