Five years after entering the Indian market, digital distribution platform TuneCore India is marking its anniversary with a new data-driven report highlighting the rapid growth and global footprint of the country’s independent music sector. The platform, owned by global digital music company Believe, has become a key player in enabling self-releasing artists to scale their careers both domestically and internationally.
Launched in 2020, TuneCore India entered the market with a focus on artist autonomy and accessibility. Today, that vision has resulted in a significantly expanded landscape. According to the platform, there has been a 9.3x increase in total music releases across all Indian languages over the past five years. Releases in Hindi have grown by 12x, while Punjabi and Tamil releases have tripled during the same period. Folk and instrumental music, too, have seen a surge, with 5x more releases than in 2020.
A major driver of this growth has been the TuneCore Accelerator program, which has now distributed over 64,000 tracks by Indian artists, generating more than 13 billion streams worldwide. The report notes that 1 in every 20 streamsfor these artists now comes from outside India, reflecting the increasing international engagement with India’s independent music scene. Key overseas markets include the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
To mark the milestone, TuneCore released the report titled “From India, To the World”, offering insights into how independent artists across genres and regions have shaped a new era of music-making. Genres such as hip-hop, indie pop, electronic, and folk have emerged as dominant forces in the Indian indie soundscape. The format of releases has also evolved: 39% of all Hindi releases are singles, while 67% of English-language releases are albums, pointing to different audience behaviours and content strategies.
“This isn’t just about TuneCore’s journey. It’s about a movement powered by the creators of India,” said Akhila Shankar, Head of TuneCore, South Asia. “Independent music has shifted from the margins to the mainstream. We are here to support that shift by amplifying artists — loud, local, and limitless.”
Vivek Raina, Managing Director of Believe India, added: “What we’re witnessing is not just a spike in output, but a systemic change in the music economy. TuneCore’s role in democratising access, encouraging regional diversity, and enabling global reach is core to how we imagine India’s future as a creative powerhouse. This is just the beginning.”
To cap off the anniversary, TuneCore India hosted a showcase event in Mumbai on June 26, featuring performances by Long Distances, Dorwin John, and Anoushka Maskey, alongside conversations on the evolution of the Indian indie ecosystem. The event served not only as a celebration, but also as a checkpoint in the larger cultural shift — one driven by artists, fans, and platforms working to build a more inclusive and globally visible independent music movement.
