Zee Music Company
Zee Music Company is an Indian record label and music-publishing business owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Zee Music Company is the music-label and music-publishing arm of Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL), one of India's major media groups. ZEEL launched the label on 31 March 2014 as a dedicated vehicle for acquiring, publishing, licensing and distributing film and non-film music. Its creation extended ZEEL's earlier involvement in recorded music through Zee Records, a music-publishing division that began operating in 1994 and later moved into home video. The label's core business is the acquisition and exploitation of music rights. It obtains rights from film producers, studios and independent artists, then distributes the resulting soundtracks and singles through video platforms, audio-streaming services, broadcast and other licensing channels. Its catalogue is centered on Indian popular music, especially Hindi-film soundtracks, but also includes regional-language cinema, devotional recordings and independent releases. The company has acquired and released material associated with Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam productions, among other languages. ZEEL's official music materials describe a catalogue spanning 22 languages, more than 18,000 released songs and music from more than 1,100 film titles. A later ZEEL earnings update described the wider music library as exceeding 20,000 songs. Digital video is central to the brand's distribution and audience strategy. Zee Music Company operates a substantial YouTube network and distributes recordings through services including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and JioSaavn. ZEEL reported that its music business had more than 176 million YouTube subscribers and 217 billion cumulative video views in its financial year 2025–26 update. The principal Zee Music Company YouTube channel passed 100 million subscribers in 2025 and received YouTube's Red Diamond Creator Award. During the 2024–25 financial year, ZEEL reported acquiring rights to 47 Hindi-film projects, 57 projects in other languages and 593 singles or albums, illustrating the label's combination of soundtrack acquisition and individual-release activity. Zee Music Company has also developed beyond a traditional film-soundtrack model. Its catalogue includes artist-led non-film recordings, and in 2026 it signed Adnan Sami and singer-producer QARAN for independent releases. Adnan Sami's single "Lipstick" was identified as one of the label's 2026 independent releases. The company also continued to expand its film catalogue, including a 2026 agreement covering music from Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. The label's international distribution arrangements have evolved over time. It ended its licensing agreement with Gaana in 2022, and its catalogue was removed from Spotify on 21 March 2023 after renewal negotiations failed. In April 2026, Zee Music Company announced a strategic international partnership with the American music company EMPIRE, under which EMPIRE would distribute parts of the catalogue on selected streaming services outside India and collaborate on cross-border creative and marketing initiatives. Music Business Worldwide also reported that Universal Music Group distributed the catalogue on Spotify globally. These arrangements reflect Zee Music Company's effort to combine a large Indian rights library with broader international digital reach. The brand has operated within the wider Zee media ecosystem rather than as a separately listed company. Its business-head role was held by Sujal Parekh from 2025, and he was designated a senior management person of ZEEL in 2026. The company has also faced public controversy: in 2015, singer Sonu Nigam alleged that he had been banned by the Zee Network after publishing messages supporting politician Kumar Vishwas. Zee Music Company's present identity therefore combines large-scale Indian film-music rights ownership, multilingual catalogue expansion, platform distr…
History
Zee Entertainment Enterprises' involvement in recorded music predates Zee Music Company. ZEEL operated Zee Records, a music-publishing division that began in 1994 and subsequently launched Zee Records Home Video. The earlier operation established a foundation for ZEEL's participation in music rights and physical-media distribution, but the group later reorganized its music ambitions around digital distribution and film-content acquisition. On 31 March 2014, ZEEL launched Zee Music Company as a dedicated record-label and music-publishing venture. At the time of launch, ZEEL managing director and chief executive officer Punit Goenka said the company sought to strengthen its ownership of intellectual property and increase its participation in digital music. The new label was designed to acquire, publish, license and distribute both film and non-film music, linking ZEEL's established entertainment infrastructure with the growing online music market. After launch, Zee Music Company expanded principally by acquiring film-music rights. Hindi cinema became an important part of the catalogue, while the company also pursued regional-language projects and releases. Its acquisition strategy broadened the label's reach across Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam music, among other categories. The resulting catalogue combined complete film soundtracks, individual songs, devotional recordings and independent singles. ZEEL's official music information described the collection as covering 22 languages, more than 18,000 released songs and music from over 1,100 film titles. A subsequent ZEEL financial update stated that the music library had grown beyond 20,000 songs. Distribution increasingly centered on digital platforms. Zee Music Company built a large YouTube network while also making recordings available through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, JioSaavn and other services. Video became a particularly important audience channel: the main Zee Music Company YouTube channel surpassed 100 million subscribers in 2025 and received YouTube's Red Diamond Creator Award. ZEEL reported approximately 190 billion views across its YouTube channels during the 2024–25 financial year, and its financial year 2025–26 update described the music network as having more than 176 million subscribers and 217 billion cumulative video views. The company continued to use a mixed acquisition model. During the 2024–25 financial year, ZEEL reported rights acquisitions involving 47 Hindi-film projects, 57 projects in other languages and 593 singles or albums. This combination allowed Zee Music Company to benefit from the predictable scale of film soundtracks while also adding more frequent individual releases. In 2026, the label expanded its artist-led non-film activity by signing Adnan Sami and singer-producer QARAN. Adnan Sami's single "Lipstick" was among the independent releases associated with this expansion. Zee Music Company's platform relationships have not been static. The label ended its agreement with Gaana in 2022. On 21 March 2023, its catalogue was removed from Spotify after negotiations over renewal failed. The company subsequently maintained or developed other distribution arrangements, including a reported global Spotify distribution relationship involving Universal Music Group. In April 2026, it entered a strategic international partnership with EMPIRE. That arrangement covered distribution of parts of the catalogue on selected streaming services outside India and cooperation on cross-border creative and marketing work. The label also continued to add film properties. A 2026 agreement covered the soundtrack of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, produced by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, in five languages: Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. This reflected the company's continuing emphasis on multilingual film rights while its independent catalogue developed. Management has remained connected to the broader ZEEL organization. Sujal Parekh became business head of Zee Music Company in 2025 and was designated a senior management person of ZEEL in 2026. The brand has also been involved in public controversy. In 2015, Sonu Nigam alleged that Zee Network had banned him after he posted messages supporting politician Kumar Vishwas. The allegation is part of the public record surrounding the network and label but does not by itself establish a finding against the company. Zee Music Company is therefore best understood as an active ZEEL-owned music business rather than merely a catalogue label. Its development has moved from ZEEL's earlier Zee Records operation to a large rights-acquisition business with multilingual film coverage, devotional and independent music, extensive video reach and increasingly international digital-distribution arrangements.
- 2026
International EMPIRE partnership
[1]Zee Music Company partnered with EMPIRE for selected international catalogue distribution and cross-border creative and marketing work.
- 2025
YouTube channel receives Red Diamond award
[1]The main Zee Music Company YouTube channel crossed 100 million subscribers and received YouTube's Red Diamond Creator Award.
- 2023
Catalogue leaves Spotify
[1]The Zee Music Company catalogue was removed from Spotify on 21 March after renewal negotiations failed.
- 2022
Gaana licensing agreement ends
[1]The label ended its licensing agreement with the Indian streaming service Gaana.
- 2014
Zee Music Company launches
[1]ZEEL launched Zee Music Company on 31 March as a dedicated venture for acquiring, publishing, licensing and distributing film and non-film music.
- 1994
Zee Records begins operations
[1]ZEEL's predecessor music-publishing division, Zee Records, began operating and later expanded into home video.
Products and positioning
A large Indian multilingual music-rights and distribution brand combining film soundtracks, regional cinema music, devotional recordings and independent releases, with a strong YouTube and digital-streaming presence.
Film music · 2014
Hindi-film soundtracks
Hindi-film music is a central part of Zee Music Company's catalogue. The label acquires and licenses soundtrack rights from film producers and studios, then distributes songs and videos through digital music services, YouTube and other licensing channels.
Film music · 2014
Regional-language film music
The company releases music connected with regional Indian cinema, including Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam productions. Regional acquisitions allow the label to operate across a multilingual market rather than relying only on Hindi releases.
Devotional recordings
Devotional music
Devotional recordings form part of the broader Zee Music Company catalogue alongside cinema and independent music. These releases are distributed through the label's digital and video channels.
Non-film music · 2014
Independent singles and albums
Zee Music Company has expanded its non-film activity through individual singles, albums and artist-led projects. In 2026, the label signed Adnan Sami and singer-producer QARAN, including Adnan Sami's single "Lipstick" among its independent releases.
Controversies
2015
Sonu Nigam alleges a Zee Network ban
Singer Sonu Nigam alleged that Zee Network had banned him after he posted messages supporting politician Kumar Vishwas. The allegation was publicly associated with the Zee media network and is reported as a controversy involving the company's wider corporate environment.
Brand decisions
2026
International partnership with EMPIREStrategyBackground
Zee Music Company sought broader international distribution and cross-border creative exposure for its Indian catalogue.
Action taken
The company entered a strategic partnership with EMPIRE covering selected streaming services outside India and joint creative and marketing initiatives.
Aftermath
The agreement expanded the label's international distribution framework while preserving its focus on Indian music rights.
2026
Expansion of artist-led non-film releasesProduct launchBackground
The label was broadening its catalogue beyond film soundtracks and increasing its emphasis on independent artists.
Action taken
Zee Music Company signed Adnan Sami and singer-producer QARAN for independent releases.
Aftermath
The move strengthened the non-film and artist-led portion of the catalogue, including Adnan Sami's single "Lipstick".
2023
Spotify catalogue withdrawalStrategyBackground
Negotiations to renew the licensing agreement covering Zee Music Company's catalogue did not reach an agreement.
Action taken
The catalogue was removed from Spotify on 21 March 2023.
Aftermath
The label continued distributing its music through other digital services and later developed additional international arrangements.
2022
End of Gaana licensing arrangementStrategyBackground
Zee Music Company had distributed its catalogue through the Indian streaming service Gaana under a licensing arrangement.
Action taken
The label ended the licensing agreement with Gaana.
Aftermath
The change contributed to a continuing shift in the label's platform-distribution relationships.
Recent events
- 2026
Zee Music Company expands independent catalogue with Adnan Sami and QARAN[1]
Product launch
The label signed Adnan Sami and singer-producer QARAN for independent releases as part of an expansion of its artist-led non-film catalogue.
- 2026
Zee Music Company forms international partnership with EMPIRE[1]
M&A · Other
EMPIRE agreed to distribute portions of Zee Music Company's catalogue on selected streaming services outside India and to collaborate on international creative and marketing initiatives.
- 2026
Zee Music Company acquires soundtrack rights for Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups[1]
Product launch
The label acquired soundtrack rights for the film in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.
- 2025
Zee Music Company YouTube channel passes 100 million subscribers[1]
Other
The main Zee Music Company YouTube channel crossed 100 million subscribers and received YouTube's Red Diamond Creator Award.
- 2023
Zee Music Company catalogue removed from Spotify after renewal talks fail[1]
Other
On 21 March 2023, Zee Music Company's catalogue disappeared from Spotify after negotiations to renew a licensing agreement did not produce a new deal.
- 2022
Zee Music Company ends licensing agreement with Gaana[1]
Other
Zee Music Company ended its licensing arrangement with the Indian streaming service Gaana.
Sources3 sources
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