General
Warner Music India has announced a strategic partnership with leading label Ultra Music, establishing an exclusive worldwide distribution alliance.
As a part of the deal, Warner Music India will take over the distribution of Ultra Music’s extensive catalogue of more than 14,000 tracks. This extensive repertoire includes Hindi “Bollywood” film soundtracks, as well as a catalogue of regional, folk and devotional music.
“The partnership harnesses Warner Music’s global distribution network to support Ultra Music’s deep and diverse repertoire, further amplifying the reach of a wide variety of Indian music on digital music platforms worldwide,” said a statement.
Ultra Music also has a suite of nine popular YouTube Channels across various languages & genres: Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri, Devotional, Ultra Spiritual Mantra, Ramcharit Manas and Krunal Music. On an average, these channels target 150 songs to be added per month and currently have a total subscription of over 3.5 million, alongside a collective social media following of 1.75m.
The Warner deal also covers exclusive rights to distribute Ultra Music’s future releases during the term of the agreement.
“This new collaboration underscores Warner Music’s commitment to elevating Indian music to new heights on the global stage,” added the statement.
This exclusive partnership enables us to take Ultra’s iconic repertoire and upcoming releases to a wider global audience
Jay Mehta
Sushilkumar Agrawal, CEO, Ultra Music (Ultra Group), said: “Our collaboration with Warner Music India marks a meaningful step in strengthening Ultra Music’s distribution and reach. It allows us to combine Warner Music’s strong industry network with our deep catalogue to deliver quality Indian music to audiences across platforms.”
Jay Mehta, managing director, Warner Music India & SAARC, added: “Ultra Music has one of the Indian music industry’s most significant catalogues covering a vast array of genres. This exclusive partnership enables us to take Ultra’s iconic repertoire and upcoming releases to a wider global audience. We’re excited to showcase its Bollywood tracks, which in turn strengthens our own Bollywood offering, as well as its Hindi and regional repertoire, bringing timeless classics and fresh Indian music to listeners worldwide.”
Launched in 2020, Warner Music India’s roster features top domestic artists such as Darshan Raval, Diljit Dosanjh, Karma, King and Sanjith Hegde, alongside global stars including Benson Boone, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran.
The company has strengthened its presence through strategic moves including holding a majority stake in Southern India’s Divo, acquiring artist management company E-Positive, and investing in live entertainment platform SkillBox.
Key partnerships include a licensing deal with Tips Music, as well as regional collaborations with Sky Digital (Punjabi music) and Global Music Junction (Haryanvi and Bhojpuri).
PHOTO: (L-R) Sushilkumar Agrawal and Jay Mehta
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