Billboard is now live in India, the world’s most populous nation.
Launched in partnership with Other Side Ventures Pvt. Ltd. and headquartered in Mumbai, Billboard India is said to mark a new chapter in how Indian music is documented and celebrated worldwide.
The new title will be familiar to readers of the flagship Billboard, coupling a deep range of multimedia editorial content with charts, lists, music awards, and more, cut with a domestic flair to reflect the diversity of India’s vibrant music communities.
“India is already one of the world’s largest music markets by volume,” comments Priyanka Khimani, media advisor and driving force behind Other Side Ventures. “Our growth story isn’t from one city or one language. It’s from every corner of this country,”
Legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja is the first cover star of Billboard India. The homegrown screen music icon has composed for 1,500 film soundtracks, and this year celebrates his 50th year in music.
“There couldn’t have been a more superlative name to launch our first cover than Ilaiyaraaja,” adds Khimani. “His legacy, body of work and music superiority speaks for themself. It was our privilege to be able to capture him as he celebrates an important milestone in his career.”
A culturally rich nation, India, of course, is home to Bollywood, a film industry that creates stars who shine globally. Its 1.4 billion population is mostly young, and many are plugged into the country’s music and movie industries. Some 450 million Indians are under the age of 30, and, according to the IFPI, are increasingly captivated with the next generation of Indian music stars that are crossing over from the silver screen.
Experts predict a boom is on the way. Domestic creator collections roared to roughly US$75 million in 2024, according to data published by CISAC data, representing a 42% year-on-year increase. Separately, India now ranks as the world’s 15th largest recorded music market, the IFPI reports.
The new platform has no shortage of content to explore. Billboard India will capture the dominance of film soundtracks, through to the explosive rise of independent artists, a statement reads, and serve as the “definitive voice” of Indian artists across all languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and more.
Its leadership team is helmed by Preeti Nayyar, who is appointed chief operating officer, and Mohini Chaudhuri as content strategy director. Other key appointments include, Amruta Ramesh (creative director), and Vidya Sivalenka (charts lead).
“At Billboard, we are committed to celebrating any music ecosystem that includes artists, executives, trends, achievements and stories shaping today’s global music landscape,” notes Mike Van, CEO of Billboard. “Billboard India marks an exciting step in that mission, as the Indian music industry and its global diaspora continue to command growing attention and influence worldwide. With a market as culturally rich and diverse as India, this launch reflects both the scale of the opportunity and the strength of the Billboard India team, whose depth and editorial ambition set a powerful foundation for what’s ahead.”
