Ultimate Guide to Starting an Artist Management Company in India
Introduction
Artist management in India sits at an inflection point. The independent music scene has matured significantly since 2015 — streaming has democratised distribution, festivals have created new live infrastructure, and social media has allowed artists to build audiences without label backing. Yet the business infrastructure around these artists remains thin. Most managers in India are either ex-label employees, friends of artists, or people learning on the job.
This guide is for anyone starting from scratch: what structure to set up, how the Indian music industry actually works, and how to build a management practice that is sustainable and professional.
Part 1: Business Structure
You have three realistic options in India. Choose based on the size of the operation you intend to build.
Option A: Sole Proprietorship Best for: Solo managers just starting out, managing 1-3 artists, operating under your own name. How to set up: No formal registration required to begin operating. Register for GST once income exceeds INR 20L per annum. Open a current account in the business name. Limitation: You are personally liable for all debts and obligations. Not ideal once you take on employees or significant contracts.
Option B: Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Best for: Two or more partners starting a management firm together. How to set up: Register with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) at mca.gov.in. Requires a minimum of two designated partners with DINs (Director Identification Numbers). File LLP Agreement with ROC. Advantage: Partners have limited liability. Easier to bring in equity partners. Professional structure that labels and brands prefer to deal with. Cost: Government fees approximately INR 5,000-10,000. Include lawyer fees, total setup typically INR 20,000-40,000.
Option C: Private Limited Company (Pvt Ltd) Best for: Managers intending to build a larger operation, take on institutional investment, or manage multiple artists with employees. How to set up: Register via MCA. Minimum two directors and two shareholders. File MOA and AOA. Advantage: Most credible structure. Easiest to raise investment. Cleanest for issuing equity or profit-sharing to team members. Cost: Government fees and compliance costs are higher. Budget INR 30,000-60,000 for setup, plus ongoing annual compliance (ROC filings, audits).
Recommended path: Start as sole proprietor. Move to LLP once you have two or more partners or your revenue exceeds INR 20-25L per year.
Part 2: Mandatory Registrations
GST Registration Required once annual turnover exceeds INR 20L (INR 10L for some states). Apply at gst.gov.in. You will receive a GSTIN. Issue GST invoices to all clients. File monthly or quarterly returns depending on your scheme. Commission income is subject to 18% GST.
PAN (Permanent Account Number) All business income must be filed under a PAN. If operating as a sole proprietor, your personal PAN suffices. LLPs and Pvt Ltds must obtain a separate PAN for the entity.
Professional Tax Applicable in states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. Registration required in the state of your registered office. Rates vary by state (typically INR 2,500 per year per professional).
Shops and Establishment Act Registration Required in most states for any business employing staff. Register with your state's Labour Department within 30 days of commencing operations.
Part 3: Essential Contracts
You will need the following agreements before operating professionally. All should be drafted or reviewed by an entertainment lawyer.
1. Artist Management Agreement — your core agreement with every artist on your roster (see separate template). 2. Sub-Agent Agreement — for when you work with booking agents, PR agencies, or other specialists on behalf of your artists. 3. Confidentiality Agreement (NDA) — for sharing sensitive artist information with third parties during negotiations. 4. Intern / Employee Agreement — if you bring in team members. 5. Service Agreement — for one-off consulting arrangements that fall outside a full management relationship.
Part 4: How the Indian Music Industry Works
Understanding the key players and how they relate to each other is foundational.
Labels Major labels operating in India: T-Series (dominant in Bollywood), Sony Music India, Universal Music India, Warner Music India. Independent labels of note: Wild City Records, Azadi Records, Pagal Haina, Underscore Records, Pagal Haina.
For independent artists, most traditional label deals are unfavourable — labels often seek master ownership and publishing rights in exchange for modest advances and limited marketing spend. Understand deal structures before approaching labels on behalf of your artists.
Distributors Key distributors for independent artists in India:
- Believe Digital (strong in India, offers label services and distribution)
- DistroKid (self-serve, international)
- TuneCore (self-serve, international)
- Amuse (free tier available)
- OKListen (India-specific, now part of larger ecosystem)
- Phonographic Digital (aggregates independent artists to Indian DSPs)
Streaming Platforms Mandatory presence: Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn, Gaana, Wynk Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music. JioSaavn and Gaana are critical for domestic reach. Spotify is the most important for international discovery and editorial consideration.
Live and Booking There is no unified booking agency infrastructure in India comparable to CAA or WME. Most booking is done directly by managers or through small independent bookers. Key festival promoters: Only Much Louder (OML, runs NH7 Weekender), Vh1 Supersonic, Magnetic Fields, Ziro Festival, Boxout Weekender.
Building relationships with venue programmers in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai is more important than working with agencies at the early stage.
Collecting Societies IPRS (Indian Performing Rights Society): Collects performance royalties for composers and lyricists. Membership is mandatory for collecting public performance royalties. Apply at iprs.org. PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited): Collects royalties for master rights holders (labels and independent artists) when recordings are played publicly (venues, radio, streaming). Apply at pplindiamusic.com.
Part 5: Building your First Roster
The most common mistake new managers make is signing too many artists too early. Start with one or two artists maximum. Your ability to learn the business is directly proportional to how much time you can spend on each artist.
Criteria for taking on an artist: 1. The music is genuinely good and has a specific identity — not generic. 2. The artist is professional: they show up, they communicate, they take feedback. 3. There is at least some existing traction — even a small, engaged audience is better than zero. 4. Your interests align — you understand their music and can authentically advocate for it. 5. You can see a plausible path to monetisation within 12-18 months.
Red flags to walk away from:
- Artists who haven't released anything and are looking for someone to build everything from scratch.
- Artists in identity crisis who don't know what they're making or who it's for.
- Artists who don't value their own time or yours (cancel rehearsals, miss deadlines, go dark).
- Artists who expect the manager to fund the career.
Part 6: How Managers Get Paid in India
Standard commission rates in India:
- 15% is the market standard for independent artists.
- 20% is common in early-stage agreements where the manager is taking significant risk.
- 10% is sometimes negotiated for mature artists with large existing income.
What commission applies to: live performance fees, recording advances, brand endorsements, sync fees, publishing income, merchandise revenue.
What commission does NOT apply to: reimbursed expenses, income earned prior to the management relationship, grants (manager's involvement should still be acknowledged).
Reality check: Most Indian independent artists earn very little in their first 1-3 years. Build your practice so you are not solely dependent on artist commissions. Offer consulting services, manage events, or run workshops alongside management work until your roster generates sustainable commission income.
Part 7: Key Relationships to Build in Year One
In order of priority:
1. Festival programmers and venue bookers — the fastest path to income for your artists. 2. Sync supervisors at production houses and ad agencies — sync fees are one of the most reliable income sources in India. 3. DSP editorial teams at Spotify India and JioSaavn — playlist placement drives streams and visibility. 4. PR professionals who cover independent music — Wild City, Homegrown, Rolling Stone India, Pitchfork India. 5. Other managers — the Indian independent music management community is small. Be collaborative, not competitive. 6. Entertainment lawyers — you need one you trust. Essential for contract review. 7. Chartered Accountants familiar with entertainment income — royalties, TDS, and international income require specialist knowledge.
Free to use · Part of the Indie Music India toolkit · Updated September 2026