CD Baby, Dash Go Expand Into India
CD Baby has expanded into India, the world's 15th largest recorded music market, according to the IFPI. The news arrives on the heels of recent expansion into China, Canada, Columbia, Southeast Asia, and the UK over the last 16 months.
The indie music distributor also announced a notable Indian music professional. Ritnika Nayan, who wrote the book Indie 101: The Ultimate Guide to the Independent Music Industry in India, will represent CD Baby as well as its sister companies, including DashGo.
Offering insight into the company’s expansion and goals in the region, Heli Del Moral, VP of International Development at CD Baby, said: “India has some of the richest music cultures in the world and artists are eagerly looking for opportunities to share their creativity with audiences around the globe. We encourage artists to stay independent and to access our world-class promotion tools to help them propel their music careers. Education is a top priority for CD Baby. Our mission in India is to simplify the process for artists and composers, and to give them the practical steps and information they need to successfully market and sell their music.”
Tracy Maddux, CEO of AVL Digital, parent company to both CD Baby and DashGo, added: “India is a huge, vibrant market and presents a great opportunity for CD Baby. We believe that Priyanka and Ritnika are the right people to help us grow and learn about what artists and labels need in this diverse, intensely creative country. This is a very exciting expansion for us that marks our commitment and belief in the future of the indie music market in India.”
Khimani said: “The entry of entities like CD Baby into the Indian music industry marks the coming of a truly exciting time. The country’s music space today boasts of a glittering range of music creators and artists – across genres –, particularly in the independent music space. With organizations dedicated to ensuring that such creators successfully communicate their works and monetize them effectively, I look forward to everything that is in store!”
Nayan added: “I have always been passionate about the independent music scene and music education has been my focus in the last few years. I feel CD Baby is one of the few companies that genuinely shares the same vision of empowering artists. CD Baby is for the artists and it helps artists take control of their music, not just through digital releases, but also through education. I feel truly blessed to be able to help the indie scene in India through CD Baby, this is exactly what our country needs right now.”
CD Baby currently has 19 representatives operating in 25 countries around the world. The company recently announced a partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) in China to deliver its catalog of streaming tracks to three of its subsidiaries and partners QQ Music, KuGou Kuwo.
