Hoopr crosses 150-brand mark as demand rises for compliant music licensing

New Delhi: Music licensing platform Hoopr has reached a milestone of partnering with over 150 brands across sectors including FMCG, e-commerce, media, BFSI and entertainment, as demand grows for legally compliant music usage in branded content.

Hoopr’s recent brand collaborations include Myntra, Meesho, Amazon, Marico, Flipkart, Ultratech Cement, ITC, Himalaya, Pocket FM, Cadbury, and Sunsilk. The company says it is helping these clients navigate music usage in advertising and digital campaigns through its licensing platform Hoopr Smash.

The rise in brand partnerships comes amid growing scrutiny over music copyright violations. Over the past two years, an increase in content takedowns and legal notices has prompted advertisers to seek quicker, automated licensing tools.

Hoopr’s catalogue includes more than 18,500 tracks, spanning Bollywood, regional and independent music. It has licensing arrangements with labels such as YRF Music, Saga Music, Merchant Records, and Amara Muzik. It also has a partnership with the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), allowing rights holders to receive royalties for commercial music use in campaigns.

The company has outlined plans to onboard over 1,500 brands by the end of the financial year 2026.

Citing industry data, the company flagged that over 87% of branded content in India is currently estimated to use music in violation of copyright laws, resulting in losses of up to Rs 10,000 crore for the industry and nearly Rs 900 crore in unpaid artist royalties annually.

Co-founder and CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar said: “Our aim with Hoopr is razor-sharp to develop a fair and transparent ecosystem for music licensing in India. Being able to work with over 150 B2B clients has given us a clear indication that we are part of the growing movement where brands now recognise the importance of using music that is legally compliant.

“Hoopr is at the forefront of building a parallel revenue stream for the Indian Music Industry to the tune of Rs 3,600 crore. Our mid-term target is to contribute an additional Rs 1,000 crore in royalty-led revenues for artists and labels, through micro-sync licensing on our platform, by FY’30.”

Meghna Mittal, co-founder and CRO, added, “We’re excited to have reached this milestone, but our vision goes far beyond these numbers. As more brands begin to recognise the importance of music licensing, it’s crucial to address the long-standing issue of artists going unpaid. Hoopr’s tech-first approach simplifies this process, powered by real-time reporting and built-in compliance, to offer fast, transparent, and reliable music licensing solutions.”