How Social Media Stars Help Music Labels Create Hits

Content creators are making thousands of rupees each month by using the latest songs in their 30-second social media reels to go viral. Major music labels like T-Series, Saregama, and Sony are teaming up with social media influencers to make their new tracks popular.

Currently, music labels and artists spend nearly half their marketing budgets on influencer marketing. This strategy helps them introduce their songs to new listeners, according to Sidhantha Jain, head of marketing at REPRESENT, a talent management agency that promotes artists like Armaan Malik and MC Stan.

“By working with a mix of big and small influencers from different content categories, we can reach a larger audience and boost engagement,” Jain explained.

Influencers have a strong connection with their followers, and when they play a song repeatedly, their fans often start streaming it on audio platforms. If a song gets enough traction, it trends online.

With traditional advertising methods like billboards and print ads failing to generate enough visibility, influencer marketing is becoming the go-to option for music labels to promote new releases, said Hitarth Dadia, CEO of NoFiltr, a creator incubator.

“When more content is created using a specific audio track, it leads to increased discoverability and more streams on streaming platforms,” Dadia added.

A Viral Opportunity

Music labels see social media virality as a key opportunity. As songs go viral, more creators and users choose those trending tracks for their own content, which further boosts the song’s reach.

“The last few years have changed how people discover music, with platforms focusing on short videos and personalized suggestions,” said Anshul Ailawadi, head of music and entertainment at Viacom18. “Young people closely follow their favorite influencers. While good music is important, it has a better chance of being noticed when featured in influencer content.”

Viacom18 often collaborates with artists on a barter basis rather than paying cash. Music label Artiste First has worked with over 10,000 creators for its releases.

“In today’s crowded market, it’s essential to partner with the right influencers who match the track’s style. This creates organic buzz and boosts streams, pushing songs higher on streaming platforms,” said Garishma Gandhi, head of marketing at Artiste First. “Influencers can spread music to millions, making them key to achieving viral success.”

A Side Benefit

For influencers, this is a chance to increase their earnings. They integrate songs into their content through dance routines, music covers, and more.

“Music labels reach out for collaborations, offering ₹8,000-10,000 per reel based on my follower count,” said Saksham Rajput, a music influencer with 12,400 Instagram followers. He added that labels pay ₹25,000-50,000 for him to create unplugged versions of songs or post promotional content.

Shubham Singhal, CEO of Dot Media, noted that a significant portion of their creators’ income comes from music labels. “Music labels can spend anywhere from a few lakhs to even a crore on marketing, which gets shared among influencers.”