India’s Global Rise Amplified by Music And Its Biggest Voices

Devraj Sanyal, Vinit Thakkar, Jay Mehta, Amit Sharma named in the Billboard Global Power Player List 2025. Its fifth consecutive time for Devraj – the only one from India and South Asia!

Mumbai, 22^nd May 2025: India’s music scene is exploding, and it is no secret that the world is taking note of this. From big bang concerts to world’s biggest festivals, streaming volumes, most of the prominent artists across the globe have recognised the value Indian market holds for their music. When an industry explodes in this fashion, it is generally a hard work put in by some of the key industry stakeholders over years, which results into catapulting the synergies at a right time.

One of the barometers that has become synonymous to showcasing the prominent movers of the music industry in India or across the globe is Billboard Global Power Player List. Every year one gets to know the who’s who of the industry, who have made valuable contribution towards the growth of it. This year’s list includes Devraj Sanyal, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music India & South Asia, Vinit Thakkar, Managing Director – Sony Music India, Jay Mehta, Managing Director – Warner Music India and Amit Sharma, Country Manager – Virgin Music Group India.

With four prominent names featuring in the list, it is evident that there is a collective push from the industry, and this has resulted into India becoming one of the epicentres of global music business. It can also be seen in the initiatives and the newer avenues that are being created, experimented and explored to make Indian music industry as vibrant, inclusive and expansive as it can get with time.

Be it King’s rise to global fame with Warner Music India, Hanumankind becoming a global sensation with Universal Music India, W.i.S.H. coming into existence courtesy the vision of Sony Music India, regional soundscape exploration by Times Music, renewed experiential growth by Saregama or the absolute scale of T-Series, and more, each of the major labels have been working on a mission mode to achieve unprecedented heights for Indian Music Industry.

Of the four, Devraj Sanyal has been named for a fifth consecutive time in the Global Power Player list. Five years in a row is a major feat. Devraj is the only Indian music executive based in India and the South Asian region to be featured five consecutive times, a testament to his influential role in shaping the industry. He has been recognized for his leadership in elevating India’s music narrative onto the global stage, with a strong emphasis on nurturing an artistry-driven culture. Under his guidance, UMI has consistently championed the “Artist First” philosophy. Over the past 14 years of his tenure in the office, Devraj has championed his labels to be an ecosystem for artists from all genres, forging international collabs, outlining a strategy that propels the India narrative being counted as of one of the most exciting markets to watch out for, alongside speaking on behalf of the industry as a whole, to develop the Indian music consumer market. Be it launching VYRL Originals, the country’s first artist-focused label – ahead of its time, buying stakes in TM Ventures and giving All About Music an even bigger scale, being a driving force behind The Dharavi Dream Project (championing music education and empowering a whole new generation of underprivileged children in Asia’s biggest slum), pushing regional music and artists like Dhandha Nyoliwala, launching Vedam Records – a wellness music label, the list goes on, he has been relentless in the pursuit of his vision.

However, the industry is about the collective effort of all the stakeholders. Given that Vinit Thakkar and Jay Mehta have been named in the Billboard Global Power Player 2025, there is more firepower coming on display at the global stage. With Vinit leading Sony Music India and Jay heading Warner Music India, it will be interesting to keep a tab on what these two powerful labels and the two magnetic personalities leading them, will be working on in 2025 – rest of the year. Amit Sharma’s debut inclusion in the list of this global stature possibly hints at a strong regional play that Virgin Music is poised to take in the coming months in the Indian market.

These are exciting times to thrive in, and we are glued to what these celebrated leaders have to offer in creating an industry that is sustainable, safe, inclusive and equitable.

Congratulations Devraj Sanyal, Vinit Thakkar, Amit Sharma and Jay Mehta, many more to come!

Article by Vishwa Deepak Dikshit