iWorld
Facebook teams up with Indian music labels
MUMBAI: Facebook today, announced partnerships with top music labels including T-Series Music, Zee Music Company and Yash Raj Films, licensing their music for use in social experiences such as videos, messages, stories and other creative content on Facebook and Instagram.
Music has always occupied a central place in the imagination of Indians and also, an incredible vehicle to express emotion. At Facebook, we have been partnering with the music community around the world to bring music into the ways people can share moments and express themselves on Facebook.
Starting today, people in India can include hundreds of thousands of licensed Indian music in the videos and posts they share on Facebook, making their moments more meaningful and personal. Through these partnerships, users can include their favorite tracks from popular films including the latest hits like Apna Time Aayega from Gully Boy, Aankh Marey from Simmba, Swag Se Swagat from Tiger Zinda Hai, as well as regional hits like Lahore by Guru Randhawa, Zingaat from Sairat plus old classics like Bas Ek Sanam Chaahiye from Aashiqui.
Commenting on the development, Bhushan Kumar, T- Series chairman and managing director said, “We're living at a time when we're talking to one another from across the globe using audio-visual language. One video with music and lyrics connects with billions across India and the planet. There's nothing more to be said. And where do they connect? Social Media. So, the idea to officially make available rights of Bollywood songs, which can be heard in every corner of the globe, to Facebook users so they can express their feelings through their posts, memes and messages with added masala and tadka, is an inevitable stroke of genius. Now, just say it with a Bollywood song. Even better, make it a T-Series song!”
Neeraj Kalyan, T-Series President and Digital head of the music major added, “When Facebook came to us with this idea of users adding licensed music to their videos and photos, it was music to our ears. We knew this is the next logical step in the T-Series growth story. Bollywood music is loved by all, so why not use it to communicate your thoughts and feelings? We have one of the largest catalog of songs and T-Series, today, is India's leading music label, digitally. Today's digitally savvy consumers are ultra-creative and it will be interesting to see how they re-purpose our music and videos to say what they want the world to hear."
Commenting on the association, Anurag Bedi, Business Head, Zee Music Company said “We are excited to partner with Facebook to introduce newer ways for users to express themselves with music. By such associations, it is our endeavor to bring innovative musical experiences from across the globe to our social media savvy audiences.”
Anand Gurnani, Vice President – Digital, Yash Raj Films said, “For a nation that has music and cinema firmly ingrained in its soul, our association with Facebook offers a chance for audiences to experiment and express themselves through music and share the same with their friends. This further strengthens our approach of community building using music as an enable.”
Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India said “Music has always been a powerful medium of expression. We are excited about partnering with the music industry in India and the idea that people here will be now be able to include music in their videos on Facebook and Instagram, opening up more options for more ways to express and sharing memories with friends and family.”
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
