Kobalt Partners With India’s Madverse to Expand Publishing Reach

Independent music publisher Kobalt has formed a worldwide partnership with Madverse Music Group, an India-based company serving the South Asian independent music sector with distribution, publishing and marketing services.

Under the agreement, Madverse’s community of independent songwriters, composers and producers will gain access to Kobalt’s publishing administration network. Services include royalty collection in more than 180 markets, improved metadata tracking and expanded synchronization licensing opportunities. Madverse currently works with a client base exceeding 150,000 artists and labels throughout India and South Asia.

The partnership targets a gap in international royalty collection that has historically prevented South Asian creators from capturing overseas earnings.

Madverse CEO Rohan Nesho Jain said: “This partnership with Kobalt represents a pivotal moment in our mission to empower India’s independent music community. For too long, Indian creators have left money on the table simply because the infrastructure to collect global royalties was broken and almost nonexistent.

“Publishing royalties are essentially a musician’s pension fund – they generate income long after the initial release, sometimes for generations. Through this collaboration, we’re ensuring that Indian independent artists can finally access and protect these earnings seamlessly, no matter where in the world their music is played,” Jain added. “This is about more than just collecting royalties; it’s about building sustainable careers and giving our artists the financial foundation they deserve. When independent voices are properly compensated and protected, the entire music ecosystem becomes richer and more diverse.”

The deal supports Madverse’s “Independent, Not Alone” philosophy, which emphasizes creator ownership and control. The partnership will offer improved transparency and operational efficiency while allowing artists to retain their rights.

Simon Moor, Kobalt’s managing director for the Asia-Pacific region, said: “Madverse has built an impressive ecosystem that supports one of the most dynamic independent music communities in the world. By combining their creator-first approach with Kobalt’s global publishing infrastructure, we’re committed to ensuring Madverse songwriters and producers have the resources, accuracy, and reach they need to succeed on an international scale.”

Kobalt administers publishing for more than 1 million compositions through 10 international offices. The company’s songwriter and publisher clients include Roddy Ricch, Max Martin, Karol G, Phoebe Bridgers and Paul McCartney. Kobalt’s catalog accounts for roughly 35% of top 100 songs and albums in the U.S. and U.K.