Hungama Music shuts down after over a decade

Once hailed as a pioneer in India’s digital music revolution, Hungama Music has officially pulled the plug. The streaming service, which launched in 2013, ceased operations on April 15, 2025, and has removed its entire music catalog, leaving long-time users with a farewell note and no access to their playlists.

The closure comes after years of struggling to keep pace with competitors like Spotify and YouTube Music, both of which continue to dominate the Indian audio landscape despite facing their own monetization challenges in the region. Hungama’s shift from a freemium model to a subscription-based service in 2023 failed to revive its fortunes.

In a last-ditch effort, Hungama Digital Media, now rebranded as Hungama OTT, had forged a strategic partnership with Virgin Music Group, a Universal Music Group subsidiary, in late 2024. But the move proved too little, too late.

Hungama Music’s exit follows a trend of consolidation and retreat in India’s music streaming market. In August 2024, Airtel's Wynk Music was integrated with Apple Music, while ByteDance’s Resso shut down operations in January 2024. With Hungama gone, only Gaana and JioSaavn remain standing among homegrown music streaming platforms.

Hungama OTT, however, continues to operate, offering a mixed bag of podcasts, web series, movies, and audio content, aiming to ride the wave of India’s growing appetite for diverse digital entertainment.