Amazon India will introduce advertisements on its Prime Music service
The Prime Music benefit, included with an Amazon Prime subscription, will continue to offer access to more than 100 Mn songs and over 15 Mn podcast episodes on demand
The service will no longer be ad-free and downloaded content will not be available for offline listening after the changes come into effect
Amazon India will introduce advertisements on its Prime Music service and remove offline download support for Prime members in India from July 2, 2026, according to an email sent to customers.
The Prime Music benefit, included with an Amazon Prime subscription, will continue to offer access to more than 100 Mn songs and over 15 Mn podcast episodes on demand. The service will no longer be ad-free and downloaded content will not be available for offline listening after the changes come into effect.
“Starting July 2 2026, your Amazon Prime Music benefit will include ads and no longer support downloads…. Your downloaded music and podcast episodes will remain in your library, starting July 2, you will only be able to stream them while online,” the company said in a mail to Amazon Prime subscribers.
The move significantly reduced the music streaming benefits currently bundled with Amazon Prime membership. Until now, Prime Music users could listen to music without advertisements and download tracks for offline playback as part of their subscription.
Amazon is now positioning Amazon Music Unlimited as the alternative for users who want to continue listening without ads and retain offline downloads.
The company is offering Prime members a six-month free trial of the service, while non-Prime users can access a three-month trial. According to the company, the paid tier includes ad-free music streaming, offline downloads, HD audio and spatial audio support.
Amazon clarified that other Prime membership benefits, including shopping-related perks, discounts and Prime Video access, will remain unchanged.
The latest change follows Amazon’s wider push to bring advertising into its subscription entertainment offerings. Last year, the company rolled out advertisements on Prime Video content in multiple markets and subsequently expanded the programme to India.
In May 2025, Amazon informed Indian Prime Video subscribers that movies and TV shows would begin carrying limited advertisements, while also introducing a separate ad-free add-on priced at ₹699 annually or ₹129 per month.
At the time, Amazon said the move would help it continue investing in content while maintaining fewer advertisements than traditional television channels and rival streaming services.
The move comes amid intensifying competition across India’s digital entertainment market, where streaming platforms are increasingly relying on a mix of subscription revenue and advertising income.
Rivals such as JioHotstar, Zee5 and Sony LIV already offer ad-supported plans alongside premium ad-free tiers, while music streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube
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