It is termed as an evergreen seller. It has a good international demand too, especially with the current wave in the West of imbibing the classical culture. Sales and revenues have also substantially increased due to the CD format which offers discerning music lovers better quality. We have a multi-religious, secular society and as a result there's a large potential market for devotional music. Discourse by saints, sadhus, peers, fakirs and theologists also have an assured audience.
Music has a natural place in rituals.
Bhajans, kirtans, mantras and hymns all constitute devotional albums. The modern-day revival in faith has also contributed to bigger sales with more and more people making the journey back to the roots. The devotional segment has added volumes to the music industry and has, in fact, been the mainstay of many regional labels. Ghazals also have a place of their own in the music market. This segment is largely driven by artistes and those on top have a huge draw.