Mobile music to grow in 2007: Analysis

Mumbai, Jan 19: Digital music and more specifically mobile music, will surpass physical music in sales in India during 2007, according to an analysis by Soundbuzz, a digital music company based in Singapore.

Soundbuzz CEO Sudhanshu Sarronwala says, the music industry will continue to grow in India, from Rs 1,450 crore in 2005 to Rs 4,100 crore in 2009. This growth will be fuelled by mobile music and will account for 88 per cent of the music industry's revenues.

India was likely to be the second country in the world, after South Korea, where digital music will surpass physical music in sales.

Mobile music growth will be fuelled by formats in addition to ringtones and will include ringback tones, full track audio and video downloads.

Mr Sarronwala said online music sales will remain minimal for the next three year period. Online music sales was still a small component because the broadband network infrastructure is not adequate. He estimated that there will be 30 million broadband subscribers by 2009.

UNI