Glossary / Indian music

Industry terms

Caller tune

A caller tune (CRBT, caller ring back tune) is a song people hear instead of the ringing sound when they call someone, set by the person being called.

Also called: CRBT, caller ring back tune, hello tune, JioTunes

By Aulto · Last reviewed

Why do caller tunes matter in India?

They're a long-standing music format in India: mobile operators like Jio, Airtel and Vi offer them, and a popular song can be set as a caller tune by many subscribers.

How does a song become available as a caller tune?

Through your label or distributor, if they deliver to caller tune services. A short, recognisable clip of the song, usually the hook, is what callers hear.

Does it earn money?

Yes, caller tune use is licensed and paid, though the terms depend on your distributor and the operator.

Example

A Punjabi single's chorus becomes a popular caller tune, so people calling its fans hear the hook dozens of times a day.

  • Music distributor

    A music distributor delivers your releases to streaming services and stores, and collects the money they earn from plays and sales.

  • Hook

    A hook is the part of a song, or the first seconds of a video, built to grab attention and make people stay.

  • Devotional music

    Devotional music is music made for worship and spiritual listening, like bhajans, aartis, kirtans and mantras, and it is one of India's largest music categories.

  • Lyrical video

    A lyrical video is a video that shows a song's lyrics on screen as it plays, the Indian music industry's go-to first video for a new song.

  • Non-film music

    Non-film music is Indian music made outside the film industry, such as indie, pop, rap and singles released on their own, rather than songs written for films.

  • Regional language release

    A regional language release is music in one of India's many languages, such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi or Punjabi, released to reach listeners in that language.

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