India’s Music Industry Could Lose Rs 350 Crore Annually From Unlicensed Social Media Music Use

India’s music industry could be losing more than Rs 350 crore in sync revenue every year due to the unlicensed commercial use of copyrighted music across social media platforms, according to AI-powered intellectual property protection platform ContentLens.

The estimate is based on revenue-at-risk assessments conducted with leading music labels using ContentLens’s platform. The company said the global recorded music industry could be losing around $1 billion annually in sync revenue from unlicensed social media usage.

ContentLens’s IP Detection Engine identifies copyrighted music used across social media and streaming platforms, including slowed tracks, remixes and unauthorised covers that may be missed by conventional detection methods. It also provides timestamps and financial profiles of potential infringers.

The platform is currently being used by four Indian music labels and one international major to identify infringements and recover potential lost revenue. ContentLens has also introduced a managed Enforcement Service, which handles the process from identifying violations to issuing notices, negotiations and settlements.

According to the company, one large music label estimated its annual sync revenue at risk from social media infringements at Rs 18 crore. Based on its market share, ContentLens extrapolated the potential exposure for India’s music industry to more than Rs 350 crore annually, highlighting the growing need for stronger music rights enforcement in the digital ecosystem.