Think Music
Indian music label specializing in film soundtracks.
Think Music, also known as Think Music India, is a Chennai-based Indian music label that focuses on soundtracks for Indian films. The label was founded in 2007 by Elred Kumar and Jayaram, the co-founders of RS Infotainment, as a digital-first Tamil music label. It was launched during a period when the Tamil film industry was rapidly moving away from physical music distribution toward digital formats.
In 2011, Sony Music Entertainment bought 146 music titles from Think Music, according to *The Economic Times*. This acquisition was part of Sony’s plan to strengthen its foothold in the Tamil film music market. However, some major titles—such as the soundtrack for *Endhiran* (2010)—were not included in the deal, showing that Think Music kept certain rights. Later, in 2021, Believe acquired a 76% stake in the company.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 2007
- Founder
- Swaroop Reddy
- Hq Location City
- Chennai
- Hq Location Country
- India
- Owner
- SPI Music
- Parent
- Believe Music
- Industry
- Music & entertainment
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Think Music was launched in 2007 by Elred Kumar and Jayaram, co-founders of RS Infotainment, as a digital-first Tamil music label based in Chennai. The company focused on acquiring film audio rights during the Tamil film industry's rapid migration from physical to digital music distribution. In 2011, Sony Music Entertainment acquired 146 music titles from Think Music, a deal described by The Economic Times as part of Sony's strategy to expand in the Tamil film music market; however, major titles like the soundtrack of Endhiran (2010) were retained by Think Music. In 2021, Believe acquired a 76% stake in Think Music.
Reader's Guide
Think Music played a key role in the Tamil film industry's transition to digital music distribution, starting as a digital-first label in 2007. Its acquisition of audio rights during this shift helped shape the market. The 2011 sale of 146 titles to Sony Music Entertainment highlighted its strategic importance, while its retention of selective rights, such as for Endhiran, demonstrated its negotiating power. The 2021 acquisition of a 76% stake by Believe marked a new phase, integrating Think Music into a larger global network. Its extensive filmography across Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi languages underscores its broad influence in Indian film music.
Origins & the Digital-First Vision
Think Music was established in 2007 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, by Elred Kumar and Jayaram, both of whom had previously co-founded RS Infotainment. From its inception, the company was designed as a digital-first music label focused exclusively on Tamil film soundtracks, a deliberate strategic choice made at the precise moment when the Tamil film industry was rapidly shifting from physical media sales to digital distribution. Rather than commissioning original compositions, Think Music built its business around acquiring and managing the audio rights of released films, positioning itself as a digital rights aggregator. This model allowed the Chennai-based company to ride the wave of streaming adoption while traditional CD and cassette sales were collapsing. Over the following years, the label assembled a catalogue stretching from the early 2000s into the mid-2020s, cementing its role as a key digital distributor in South Indian cinema.
Strategic Partnerships & Ownership Shifts
Think Music's corporate history is marked by two landmark transactions that reflect the broader consolidation of India's music industry. In 2011, The Economic Times reported that Sony Music Entertainment purchased 146 music titles from the label, a deal described as part of Sony's wider push to deepen its presence in the Tamil film music market. Strikingly, Think Music held back certain marquee properties from that sale, including the soundtrack to the 2010 sci-fi film Endhiran, a move that underscored the label's willingness to retain selective high-value rights. A decade later, in 2021, the French digital music company Believe acquired a 76 percent stake in Think Music, transferring majority control to an international player. These successive ownership changes trace the label's evolution from a regional rights broker into a strategically valuable asset within the global digital music economy.
A Multi-Language Catalogue Spanning Two Decades
The breadth of Think Music's film catalogue is one of its most striking features. The label's Tamil holdings span from Lesa Lesa in 2003 through titles slated for 2026, encompassing major releases such as Enthiran, Kabali, Vikram Vedha, 96, Karnan, and Maharaja. Beyond its Tamil core, Think Music extended into Malayalam cinema beginning with Neram in 2013, and by 2024 and 2025 the Malayalam slate had grown to include dozens of titles ranging from Aavesham and Manjummel Boys to Vaashi and Gaganachari. The label also holds rights to Telugu films including A1 Express (2021) and Maa Inti Bangaaram (2026), as well as the Hindi release Mahavatar Narsimha (2025). Altogether, the catalogue exceeds one hundred and fifty titles across four languages, making Think Music one of the most extensively catalogued digital music labels in the South Indian film soundtrack space.
Positioning in the South Indian Music Ecosystem
Think Music occupies a distinctive niche in the South Indian film music landscape. By entering the market in 2007, precisely when physical music distribution was giving way to digital streaming, the label was positioned to aggregate and manage rights at a critical inflection point in the industry. Its co-founders' prior involvement with RS Infotainment gave the company deep institutional ties to Tamil production infrastructure. The label's rights-management approach—licensing a large block of 146 songs to Sony Music in 2011 while holding onto flagship titles like the Endhiran soundtrack—demonstrated a nuanced strategy of balancing revenue with long-term asset retention. The 2021 acquisition of a controlling stake by Believe further embedded Think Music within global digital distribution networks, ensuring that soundtracks from Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi cinema reach international streaming audiences. In this way, the label has served as a connective tissue between regional South Indian cinema and the worldwide digital music ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Think Music?
Think Music, also called Think Music India, is a Chennai-based Indian record label that specializes in releasing soundtracks for Tamil films. It was one of the early labels in the industry to adopt a digital-first distribution model.
Who founded Think Music and when?
Elred Kumar and Jayaram, who are also co-founders of RS Infotainment, established Think Music in 2007. They launched it at a time when the Tamil film industry was shifting from physical CD sales toward online music distribution.
What is Think Music most known for?
The label is best recognized for its Tamil film soundtrack releases and for pioneering a digital-first approach to music distribution in the Indian film industry. Its headquarters are in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Did Sony Music acquire Think Music?
In 2011, Sony Music Entertainment purchased 146 titles from Think Music's catalog. This deal was part of Sony's broader strategy to expand its presence in the Tamil film music market.
What type of music does Think Music release?
Think Music focuses on soundtracks for Indian films, with a particular emphasis on the Tamil cinema industry. As a digital-first label, it prioritized online distribution over traditional physical media formats.
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