Warner Music Sees India as Key Market for Expansion & Acquisitions

Warner Music Group is setting its sights on India as a primary expansion market, alongside China, as it sees the potential to reach over a billion new users here. Valued at $16 billion, Warner Music is one of the world’s largest music conglomerates, bringing in over $6 billion in annual revenue. Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music, told ET that India represents an ideal opportunity for expansion in the music industry. He emphasized that Warner is not only committed to expanding in India but is also actively pursuing acquisitions and partnerships to establish a more significant foothold in the market.

India’s music industry is still relatively underdeveloped compared to its fifth position in global GDP rankings, currently ranking 14th in the music market. Kyncl sees a strong growth trajectory here, expecting that, as India’s GDP continues to grow, the potential for advertising revenue and music subscriptions will increase as well. Warner Music believes that the music industry in India could eventually grow to match the country’s economic power globally.

Since entering India’s music market in 2020, Warner Music has pursued a mix of organic growth and strategic acquisitions to deepen its presence. This approach has led to partnerships with major Indian music entities and acquisitions in the region. In April 2024, Warner Music acquired a 26% stake in Global Music Junction, a move that aligns with its strategy to capture the regional music space. Earlier, the company bought a majority stake in Chennai-based Divo in February 2023, further expanding its reach in regional music. Additionally, Warner acquired the artist management firm E-Positive in October 2023, helping it tap into India’s dynamic talent management sector.

India’s unique diversity in languages and genres is another driving factor for Warner’s focus on the country. Warner Music sees an opportunity to explore and promote regional music globally as it grows its catalog and invests in intellectual property (IP) and services to better support Indian artists. According to Kyncl, Warner is specifically interested in IP assets and tools that can help enhance artist services, offering artists more platforms to reach audiences locally and internationally.

“India has been a great market for us so far, but there’s still enormous potential here,” Kyncl stated, adding that the company is encouraging its local team to increase the flow of deals and explore new partnerships. By embracing both organic growth and inorganic expansion, Warner aims to maximize its impact in India’s music industry while remaining mindful of strategic and economic limits.

Warner’s acquisition-focused strategy reflects its commitment to blending local expertise with global resources to fuel long-term growth in India’s music market. By investing in artist management and promoting local music internationally, Warner Music aims to become a major player in India’s music industry. This expansion is not only a step forward for Warner but also a significant boost to India’s growing global music presence. Kyncl’s vision is clear: to make India a core part of Warner’s global growth story and to leverage its cultural wealth to transform the music landscape in the region.