Amazon Prime Priming for India Launch during 2015 as Streaming Services Accelerate Accessibility in BRIC Nation

The future of the music industry, especially considering the modern trend toward streaming over actual physical purchases, lies in regions outside of the United States. Amazon is one of several countries that realizes this and hence has apparently began planning to launch its Amazon Prime service (including the limited streaming services it offers) during 2015, according to The Economic Times.

Billboard reports that Amazon has hired Nitesh Kripalani, formerly of Multi Screen Media, as its head of digital content, charged with making sure the licensing deals necessary in the Indian marketplace are up to snuff.

Music Times first reported on the importance of streaming services in foreign markets during June of 2014 in light of the annual New Music Seminar. The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), four nations with hefty populations and potential for massive economic growth, are the key to restoring the profits being lost currently in the music industry from album sales. The spread of smartphones in markets such as India makes it easier for streaming services such as Spotify, which includes a much larger song catalogue than that of Amazon, to break into the nation's billion-plus population.

India had been showing growth in the streaming sector throughout 2014: Australian service Guvera launched there late in the year, American service Rdio bought up Indian streaming company Dinghana and is theoretically retooling it for relaunch, and homegrown company Saavn has also been raising huge bouts of funding as it aims to grow.

While the BRIC countries also pack the most potential for growth, spreading into them would also help stymie one of their biggest problems, which is piracy. Brazil and India have seen piracy numbers slip as streaming becomes more readily available, while Russia and China remain two of the most notorious music-stealing nations on Earth.

Tags

Amazon, India