Warner Music India has entered into an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement with Indian music label Ultra Music.
As a part of the deal, Warner Music India will take over the distribution of Ultra Music’s catalog of more than 14,000 tracks, the WMG division said in a press release on Tuesday (November 25).
The partnership covers Ultra Music‘s existing library, which spans Hindi “Bollywood” film soundtracks, along with regional, folk, and devotional music. Warner Music will also handle distribution for all new releases from Ultra Music during the contract period.
Ultra Music operates as a division of Ultra Media, focusing on music acquisition and syndication of old and new songs across languages and genres. The label acquires music rights from feature films and other platforms, then distributes content to streaming services including Spotify, JioSaavn, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and Gaana, among others.
“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 catalog to deliver quality Indian music to audiences across platforms.”
Sushilkumar Agrawal, Ultra Music (Ultra Group)
Ultra Music has nine YouTube channels across different languages and genres, including Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri, and devotional content. The channels collectively have more than 3.5 million subscribers and 1.75 million followers across social media platforms. The label adds approximately 150 songs per month across its channels.
Its content library includes traditional folk songs, Bhakti music, Punjabi pop, Bhangra, Sufi music, Marwadi songs, wedding and festival tracks, Rabindra Sangeet, ghazals, and Bhajans. Ultra Music also produces remixes and recreations of songs from its catalog for distribution.
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 catalog to deliver quality Indian music to audiences across platforms.”
“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.”
Jay Mehta, Warner Music India & SAARC
Jay Mehta, Managing Director, Warner Music India & SAARC, added: “Ultra Music has one of the Indian music industry’s most significant catalogs 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.”
The partnership comes as Warner Music India continues to expand in the market after launching operations in 2020. Its roster now includes domestic artists such as Darshan Raval, Diljit Dosanjh, Karma, King, and Sanjith Hegde.
The label has also expanded through several strategic dealls. It holds a majority stake in Divo, a Southern India-based company, and acquired artist management firm E-Positive. Warner Music India has also invested in SkillBox, a live entertainment platform.
Previous partnerships include a licensing arrangement with Tips Music and regional collaborations with Sky Digital for Punjabi music and Global Music Junction for Haryanvi and Bhojpuri content. The company launched MAATI, a folk music imprint featuring artists including Vishal Dadlani, Mohit Chauhan, Rani KohEnur, Mikey McCleary and Varun Grover.
Warner Music India partnered with Warner Music Canada to create 91 NORTH RECORDS, which debuted with Punjabi artists Karan Aujla and Jonita Gandhi. The initiative targets South Asian audiences internationally.
Music Business Worldwide
