Hoopr, India’s pioneering music licensing platform, has launched Hoopr Smash—a first-of-its-kind, automated, self-serve music licensing marketplace that enables legal and seamless access to Bollywood and regional music for brands, content creators, and agencies.
Marking a significant milestone, Hoopr Smash debuts with the onboarding of the iconic YRF Music catalogue, comprising over 1,000 Bollywood hits. Additionally, it has partnered with 17 major Indian regional labels and over 380 acclaimed artists including A.R. Rahman, Vishal and Sheykhar, Amit Trivedi, Diljit Dosanjh, Badshah, Bohemia, and Jasleen Royal. The platform now boasts a catalogue of over 18,000 tracks.
With India’s content ecosystem growing rapidly—featuring over 80,000 brands and 550,000 creators producing daily—music copyright violations are alarmingly common. An estimated ?3,600 crore is lost annually due to unauthorised music use. Hoopr Smash aims to address this by offering a legally compliant, affordable, and efficient licensing solution.
“As an artist, I have experienced the challenges of India’s fragmented music licensing ecosystem where even my own songs have been used without permission or payment. While brands want to license music the right way, they often find themselves navigating a complex and inconsistent process while trying to license songs. Licensing Bollywood music in particular has often been complicated, with unclear legal pathways and limited access for most brands. With Hoopr Smash, we are addressing this gap by building a transparent, accessible, and efficient platform that simplifies the legal licensing of popular Bollywood songs for all stakeholders. We envision Hoopr Smash becoming the go-to destination for ethical music licensing, empowering brands to create freely and fearlessly, while ensuring artists and music owners receive the value they truly deserve,” said Gaurav Dagaonkar, Co-Founder & CEO of Hoopr.
The platform mimics an intuitive e-commerce experience, allowing users to discover, select, and license tracks in under 15 minutes. Music is categorised by use case, mood, and occasion, with real-time updates on trending tracks. Licensing can be done per track or via economical Super Saver Combo packs, ideal for brands creating frequent content.
“Hoopr Smash is designed to address the long-standing issues of Bollywood music licensing. After extensive research with 160+ brands and agencies, we understood that there were some major pain points—volatile pricing, long negotiations, and decentralized clearance processes. Smash eliminates this by displaying Bollywood music-trending updates in real time, offering intelligent track curation, and instant licensing, allowing brands to access popular tracks faster and stay legally compliant. The site offers affordable pricing and a seamless checkout experience, and ensures that artists and labels are dealt with fairly. This is a giant leap in building an open and sustainable music licensing infrastructure in India,” said Meghna Mittal, Co-Founder & CRO of Hoopr.
Commenting on the collaboration, Anand Gurnani, Vice President – Digital & New Media, Yash Raj Films Pvt. Ltd. stated: “Hoopr’s technology presents an exciting opportunity for us to expand our reach to long-tail consumers and enhance the accessibility of our music catalogue. This partnership not only provides brands with seamless access to our extensive music catalogue but also streamlines the licensing process, ensuring efficient and compliant usage. We are confident that this collaboration will open up exciting opportunities for responsible brand engagement across short-form formats while helping us connect with wider audiences.”
With regulatory scrutiny around copyright usage tightening, Hoopr Smash is set to become an essential tool for brands seeking compliance and creative freedom. By offering a unified, transparent, and instant-access solution, Hoopr is driving the Indian music industry towards a more ethical, standardised, and sustainable future.
