According to the 2026 EY-IMI report, 96% of smartphone users in India consume music, with 80% spending more than an hour every day listening. Yet only 38% say they have ever paid for a music streaming service. By comparison, 86% have paid for video OTT services.
That difference could become one of the music industry's biggest business stories of the next few years.
India already has an enormous audience. The country recorded an estimated 178 million music-streaming users in 2025, generating trillions of streams. But the industry's challenge is no longer simply getting people to listen. It is convincing them that music is worth paying for.
And the opportunity is massive.
The EY-IMI research suggests India's paid music subscriptions could rise from around 14 million in 2025 to 28-30 million by 2028. Interestingly, 61% of non-paying users said they would consider paying if free alternatives disappeared and the price felt reasonable.
This points toward a major shift: the future of Indian music may depend less on collecting another billion streams and more on creating reasons for listeners to become paying fans.
That could mean better audio, exclusive releases, artist communities, early access, live experiences, merchandise, personalised fan benefits and other premium experiences that make listening feel more valuable.
The timing is significant. Spotify reported that royalties generated by Indian artists grew 29% in 2025, while more than 40% of royalties earned by Indian artists came from listeners outside India. Indian music is clearly travelling further than ever before.
The next question is much bigger:
Can India's massive music audience finally become a massive paying audience?
If the answer is yes, the country's next music boom may not be measured in streams. It may be measured in subscribers, superfans and the value of every listener.