Key facts

  • Azadi Records: Established in 2017 to release politically conscious South Asian music.
  • Pagal Haina: Represented Prateek Kuhad from 2011 to 2018; its roster is Lifafa, Peter Cat Recording Co. and The F16s.
  • Qilla Records: Set up in New Delhi in 2011 by Madhav Shorey (Kohra) and Gaurav Malekar.
  • Amarrass Records: Has produced over 300 music videos and 15 albums.
  • Mass Appeal India: Began in August 2019 in partnership with Universal Music India and first signed Divine.

Indian independent record labels are music companies that sign, release and promote artists without being owned by a major such as Universal, Sony or Warner. The best known include Azadi Records (hip-hop, Delhi, founded 2017), Pagal Haina (indie rock and pop, home to Peter Cat Recording Co. and Lifafa), Qilla Records (electronic, Delhi, 2011), Amarrass Records (folk, Delhi, 2009) and Export Quality Records (Third Culture Entertainment, 2021). This guide profiles 14 labels, what each releases, and how artists can approach them.

The list is grouped by genre, not ranked. Each entry says what the label is known for, who founded it and which artists are linked to it, all taken from the label's own site or from published coverage. Rosters change, so treat the artist names as a starting point and check the label's current page before you pitch.

More facts

  • Azadi Records was founded in Delhi in 2017 by Uday Kapur and Mo Joshi. It focuses on politically conscious South Asian music and runs an online demo portal.
  • Pagal Haina represented Prateek Kuhad from 2011 to 2018. Its current roster is Lifafa, Peter Cat Recording Co. and The F16s.
  • Qilla Records has been a Delhi label and collective since 2011, founded by Madhav Shorey (Kohra) and Gaurav Malekar (BLOT).
  • ennui.BOMB, started in 2004 by Rishu Singh, is one of the oldest DIY labels in Indian indie.
  • Amarrass Records in Delhi has worked since 2009 to preserve folk music, and runs what it calls India's first boutique hand-cut vinyl workshop.
  • Mass Appeal India, the Mumbai arm of the US label Mass Appeal Records, started in August 2019 with Divine as its first signing.

What counts as an independent label in India

An independent label funds, releases and markets music without major-label ownership. Its records still reach Spotify, JioSaavn and YouTube Music, usually through a distributor. A distributor is not a label: services like DistroKid or TuneCore deliver your files to the stores, while a label adds A&R, money, marketing and often management. Our comparison of music distribution services in India explains that layer.

In India the line between label, management company and event brand is often blurred. Pagal Haina founder Dhruv Singh told Homegrown that independent labels in India "barely make any money from traditional sources", and that "to survive, you can't solely be a label". Pagal Haina offers what he called "a 360-degree solution": management, show bookings, releases and branding. Many of the labels below work the same way.

Hip-hop labels

1. Azadi Records

Azadi Records describes itself as an India-based independent record label, established in 2017 "to provide a platform for South Asian artists to release forward-thinking, politically conscious music." Homegrown reported that it was founded in Delhi by cultural journalist Uday Kapur and businessman Mo Joshi, and that Prabh Deep was among its first signings. Seedhe Maut, Ahmer, Ali Saffudin, Sez on the Beat and DJ BLUnt were also on the label at the time.

The roster on Azadi's site now lists Tienas, Jelo (from Aizawl), Dizlaw, Gunda, 7 Bantai'Z and Kim the Beloved. Its 2026 catalogue includes SETLIST, a nine-track album by the Mumbai crew 7 Bantai'Z. Azadi's site has a demo portal for submissions.

2. Mass Appeal India

Mass Appeal India is the Indian hip-hop arm of the American label Mass Appeal Records. It started in August 2019 in partnership with Universal Music India, which makes it less independent than most labels here, and it is now distributed by The Orchard. Its first signing was Divine. Mass Appeal India released his first three solo albums, Kohinoor, Punya Paap and Gunehgar, and the compilation Shutdown in partnership with Divine's own label, Gully Gang Entertainment. For more on the artists, see our list of the best Indian rappers of 2026.

3. Gully Gang Entertainment

Gully Gang Entertainment is Divine's own label. Besides co-releasing his albums with Mass Appeal India, it has released projects by other artists, including Aavrutti and Shah Rule, in partnership with Mass Appeal India. That makes Gully Gang a clear example of an artist-run label in India working alongside a larger partner.

4. IncInk Records

Homegrown reported that IncInk Records was founded by Navzar and Ranveer Singh in the hip-hop boom that followed Gully Boy (2019). Its early artists included Kaam Bhaari, SlowCheeta, Spitfire and Devil The Rhymer, and the label made a music video in Indian Sign Language.

5. All Star Sauce

All Star Sauce is a Delhi label and collective created by experimental hip-hop artist Kunal Chabbra. Homegrown noted that it doubles as a community and an online radio show, Barbecue Chutney, on Boxout.fm, and that it has curated live shows in Delhi and Mumbai.

Indie rock, pop and singer-songwriter labels

6. Pagal Haina

Pagal Haina says its strength lies in "discovering, nurturing and empowering artists with an eye on global reach." Founded by Dhruv Singh, with Lucy Peters as co-founder according to Homegrown, it represented Prateek Kuhad from 2011 to 2018, when he was breaking through. Its own site lists Lifafa, Peter Cat Recording Co. and The F16s as its current roster. Homegrown's 2022 roster also named Ditty, Shantanu Pandit, Bowls, Begum, Rounak Maiti, Karshni, Run It's the Kid and Shashwat Bulusu.

7. Export Quality Records

Third Culture Entertainment launched Export Quality Records in August 2021 to take contemporary Indian music to a global audience. Homegrown says founder Tej Brar works with artists project by project rather than running their whole career, and Mixmag Asia reported that its first release came from the producer pelle.

8. ennui.BOMB

Rishu Singh started ennui.BOMB in 2004, which makes it one of the longest-running DIY labels in Indian indie. "I started ennui.BOMB in 2004 for a simple selfish reason: to listen to music I like," he told Homegrown. The label is behind the crowdfunded festival Control ALT Delete and the annual Stupiditties compilations of new acts.

9. Kadak Apple Records

Kadak Apple was started by singer-songwriter Tejas Menon and Krish Makhija, and describes itself as not-for-profit. Its first release was Tejas's own EP Small Victories. Its acoustic Kadak Sessions on YouTube featured artists including Warren Mendonsa, Prateek Kuhad and Meera Shenoy.

Electronic labels

10. Qilla Records

Qilla is "a record label and collective based out of India since 2011," according to its site. Homegrown reported that it was set up in New Delhi by Madhav Shorey (Kohra) and Gaurav Malekar (BLOT), with a focus on underground dance music, minimal techno and house.

11. Milkman Records

Milkman Records is the label arm of Mumbai's Milkman crew, which Homegrown describes as a force in India's warehouse-rave scene since 2016. Its first release was the EP Future Literature by Mumbai producer Azu Hoyvoy.

12. Consolidate

Consolidate is a Bengaluru label started by electronic producer _RHL, one half of Sulk Station. It launched with the 2016 compilation Peach Tea Since July, featuring Disco Puppet, Skippy and Machli, and later released Worm's Cottage's album Standing Feathers.

13. Lowlit Records

Lowlit was started in 2015 by Vishnu PS (Soulspace) and Nikhil Kaul (Frame/Frame), who described it to Homegrown as "an artist collective, record label, and a multi-platform cultural curator." Its first release was Frame/Frame's Flutter. The label also ran the Lowlit BeatDesk producer workshops in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Folk and roots labels

14. Amarrass Records

Amarrass Records is a New Delhi independent label, artist management company and event producer that has worked since 2009 to preserve and revive traditional folk music. It works directly with folk musicians and instrument makers on fair-trade principles, and says it has produced over 300 music videos and 15 albums. It also runs what it calls India's first boutique hand-cut vinyl workshop.

How to approach an Indian independent label

  • Match the genre first. Azadi releases hip-hop and Qilla releases underground dance music, so a singer-songwriter demo belongs at a label like Pagal Haina or Kadak Apple.
  • Use the official route. Azadi has a demo portal, Pagal Haina lists [email protected] for general inquiries, and most labels list contacts on their sites.
  • Release something first. Most of these labels came out of scenes and collectives, and many artists were self-released before they signed. Our guide on how to release music without a record label covers that route.
  • Read the contract for ownership of masters, term and territory, and get advice before you sign.

Independent labels vs major labels in India

  • Ownership: independents are owned by founders, artists or small companies, while majors belong to global groups such as Universal, Sony and Warner.
  • Model: as Pagal Haina's founder put it, many Indian independents survive by also doing management, bookings and events.
  • Hybrids: some deals mix both worlds. Mass Appeal India launched with Universal Music India and is now distributed by The Orchard.
  • Reach: independents release through distributors to the same platforms as the majors.

FAQ

What is an independent record label?

A record label that releases and promotes music without being owned by a major group such as Universal, Sony or Warner. In India, examples include Azadi Records, Pagal Haina, Qilla Records and Amarrass Records.

Which record labels sign independent artists in India?

Azadi Records (hip-hop), Pagal Haina (indie), Export Quality Records (genre-agnostic), Qilla Records and Milkman Records (electronic) and Amarrass Records (folk) all work with independent artists. Check each label's current roster and submission route first.

How do I submit my music to a record label in India?

Use the label's official route. Azadi Records runs a demo portal on its website, and Pagal Haina lists a general inquiries email. Send finished music that matches the label's genre.

Is a music distributor the same as a record label?

No. A distributor delivers your music to streaming platforms, usually for a fee or a share of royalties. A label also invests in A&R, marketing and promotion.

What was Azadi Records' first signing?

Homegrown reported that Delhi rapper Prabh Deep was among the first artists signed to Azadi Records after it was founded in 2017.

Sources

Cover photo: Duk3L1xon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Sources

Discography is an independent music magazineHow to get coveredRelease music in IndiaIndian indieAbout