Indian Music Industry

India's paid music market to hit high notes in next 5 yrs: Universal Music

Universal Music India expects the country to emerge as a major paid music market within five years as subscriptions rise and the industry pivots away from free streaming

No foul play suspected in Zubeen Garg's death, probe on: Singapore police

Investigations into the death of singer Zubeen Garg are ongoing but so far no foul play is suspected, Singapore police have said. Garg died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. The case is currently still being investigated by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), in accordance with the Singapore Coroners Act 2010, the police said on Thursday. Based on our investigations so far, the SPF does not suspect foul play in the death of Garg, said the statement. Upon completion of the investigations, the findings will be submitted to the State Coroner in Singapore, who will hold a Coroner's Inquiry (CI), currently scheduled for January and February 2026. A CI is a fact-finding process led by the Coroner to establish the cause and circumstances of death. Its findings will be made public upon conclusion, said the SPF. Singapore police are committed to conducting a thorough and professional investigation into the case, it said. We seek the pati

Zubeen Garg's wife welcomes SIT chargesheet, hopes for swift justice

Zubeen Garg's wife Garima on Friday welcomed the chargesheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which named four people in connection with the singer's murder. "The investigation began on the basis of the FIR filed by us against the accused on behalf of our family. The probe proceeded on expected lines for which we are very grateful to the investigating agency," Garima told reporters. She added that the probe's results were in accordance with public expectations and said, "Now everything depends on the judicial process, which we hope will move smoothly. We have faith in our nation's judiciary and want the guilty to be punished accordingly." Garima said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has indicated that the Chief Justice will be requested for a fast-track court, adding, "We also want the matter to be resolved at the earliest. Our house has been shattered and people are very disturbed that a person like Zubeen Garg could be killed. The people of entire Assam want the ..

Spotify Wrapped 2025: Arijit leads as romance dominates listening in India

Spotify Wrapped 2025 highlights Arijit Singh as India's most-streamed artist for seventh straight year, with romance hits, film soundtracks and rising I-Pop acts shaping the country's listening habits

Zubeen Garg's death 'plain and simple murder': Himanta tells Assam Assembly

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the assembly on Tuesday that singer Zubeen Garg's death while swimming in the sea in Singapore is a case of "plain and simple murder". The special investigation team (SIT) that has been probing into the circumstances of Garg's death have added murder charges to the case. Sarma was speaking in the assembly during a discussion under an adjournment motion moved by the opposition on the singer's death. The motion was allowed by the Speaker at the request of the chief minister. "After preliminary probe, the Assam Police was sure that it was not a case of culpable homicide, but it was a plain and simple murder," Sarma said. "That is why, section 103 of BNS was added to the case within three days of his death," he added. The SIT under the CID of the state police has so far arrested seven people, examined 252 witnesses and seized 29 items in connection with the case, he said. "One of the accused killed Garg and others helped him. Four to

'Sounds of Kumbha' nominated for Grammy in Best Global Music Album category

"Sounds of Kumbha", a spiritual album inspired by the Mahakumbha festival and presented by singer-composer Siddhant Bhatia, has been nominated for the 68th Grammy Awards in the Best Global Music Album category. The nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards were announced last week. Commissioned by the Uttar Pradesh government as a cultural initiative, the album has been produced in partnership with Network18 and HistoryTV18, and is globally distributed by Universal Music India. The 12-track project, featuring over 50 artists from India and abroad, aims to capture the spirit of the Mahakumbha, the mega religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj that drew over 60 crore pilgrims during its 45-day run in January and February this year. Described by critics as a sonic memoir of the Mahakumbha, the album blends live field recordings from Prayagraj, ancient mantras and contemporary compositions by Bhatia and SoulTrax Studios in New Delhi, a press release said. It also incorpora

Singapore sends Zubeen Garg's post-mortem, toxicology reports to Assam SIT

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Singapore authorities have sent singer Zubeen Garg's post-mortem and toxicology reports to the state police. He maintained that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing Garg's death, has made substantial progress and will submit the chargesheet in court within the stipulated time. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here on Friday, Sarma said, When our SIT visited Singapore, they had assured of cooperation. Today, the Singapore authorities have formally sent the post-mortem and toxicology reports and their guidelines related to sea under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The 52-year-old singer-composer had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. The 10-member SIT has arrested seven people so far, who are all currently in judicial custody. Sarma, who is also the state's home minister, asserted that the SIT will submit the chargesheet within the stipulated 90-day period. They (SIT

Judicial custody of 5 accused in Zubeen's death case extended by 14-days

A local court here on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of the five accused in Zubeen Garg's death case by 14 days. The five accused are North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan Garg, and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya. Lodged in Baksa jail, they were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup Metropolitan, virtually, an official said. "The current judicial custody of the five accused will end tomorrow. They were produced before the CJM through virtual mode, and the custody was extended by 14 days," he said. Garg had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19, while visiting the Southeast Asian country to attend the 4th NEIF. The five accused were taken to the Baksa jail on October 16 at the end of police remand. Violence had erupted in front of the prison when they were brought with locals protesting the move.

More of my compositions used without my permission, Ilayaraaja tells HC

Top music director Ilayaraaja has submitted before the Madras High Court that two more of his compositions have been used in a latest Tamil movie without his approval. The musician's counsel on Wednesday made the submission before a single bench which was hearing Ilayaraaja's plea against three music companies, including Sony Music Entertainment India Private Limited, against the 'unauthorised' use of his songs. His counsel said two songs of the music director have been used in the latest Tamil hit, Pradeep Ranganathan-starrer 'Dude.' The judge directed the petitioner to file a separate plea on the matter. Earlier, Sony Music submitted its revenue generated from Ilayaraaja's songs in a sealed cover and told the bench that the Supreme Court has sought the musician's response on the company's plea to transfer the copyright related case from Bombay High Court to the Madras HC. The judge did not accept the sealed cover since a related matter was pending in the apex Court. The court .

It's the sound of spending as immersive music events strike an Indian note

New tech-enabled spectacles are transforming passive music listening into deep, multi-sensory experiences

Punjabi singer-actor Rajvir Jawanda dies at 35 after 11-day battle for life

After suffering for 11 days in the hospital, Punjabi singer Rajvir Jawanda passed away at 35. He suffered severe injuries in a bike accident at Baddi, Himachal Pradesh

Zubeen's autopsy report shared with Indian authorities: Singapore Police

Police investigations are currently underway in the matter, while the public has been advised to refrain from sharing any videos or images related to the matter

Zubeen Garg's family files complaint with CID, seeks probe into his death

The family of Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg filed a complaint with the state CID over his death by drowning in Singapore, seeking a thorough probe into the incident. Garg's uncle Manoj Kumar Borthakur, a signatory in the complaint, told PTI that they had sent it to the CID through email on Saturday. "We want a thorough probe into the circumstances of his death," he said. Garg's wife Garima and his sister Palme Borthakur are the other signatories. A senior police officer said, "We have received a complaint from Garg's family and are examining it." He said the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of CID is already probing the incidents surrounding the death of the singer-composer on September 19 in Singapore, and the complaint filed by the family will be taken up with it. A SIT team visited Garg's residence at the Kahilipara area of Guwahati on Sunday, he said. "We needed to ask certain things, and our officers met the family. Their statements are being recorded," he added.

Spotify won't stream AI-generated 'Saiyaara' in Kishore Kumar's voice: Why?

Spotify introduces stricter AI rules with voice cloning bans, a new spam filter, and AI credits to protect artists and ensure transparency for listeners

Zubeen Garg's wife appeals for peace, defends manager against FIRs

In a video message shared on Zubeen's official Instagram, his wife, Garima Saikia Garg, addressed fans with folded hands, asking for peace during her late husband's final journey

YouTube Music brings dual-pane 'Now Playing' layout to Android, iOS: Report

Reportedly, YouTube Music's Now Playing redesign adds a dual-pane view, compact controls, and an updated Up Next section, rolling out via a server-side update

A tribute to Bhupen Da: Remembering the legendary voice of India

This year marks the beginning of his birth centenary celebrations. It is an occasion to revisit his monumental contributions to Indian artistic expression, public consciousness

The Call of Music: Recording journeys of resilience for the sake of art

In her latest book, reputed Hindustani classical vocalist Priya Purushothaman traces the experiences of eight singular voices in Hindustani classical music that have deeply inspired her

Lollapalooza 2026 tickets sell out in 30 minutes amid Linkin Park buzz

The fourth edition of Lollapalooza will be held on January 24 and 25 next year at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai

Tips Music acquires Studio Radha's full catalogue to expand into Gujarat

Tips Music has acquired Studio Radha's catalogue of over 4,000 devotional, folk and cultural songs to expand into Gujarat's music heritage and strengthen its regional portfolio