Universal Music Group will make new releases in India available only to paid streaming subscribers for their first 72 hours from the end of August. The company says the policy should improve artist compensation and help develop a more sustainable music market, while free, ad-supported listeners will receive the releases after the initial window.

The change covers major domestic and international artists across global and regional streaming platforms in India. UMG says it is adapting a strategy used in China since 2019; China became the fourth-largest recorded music market by 2025, with recorded-music revenue rising 20.1% that year, according to IFPI. UMG has operated in India since 1999 and has recently expanded its local investments, including a 30% stake in Excel Entertainment in a deal valuing the business at about $267 million.