Indian music is reaching a wider world, with regional-language hits, independent releases and emerging artists driving Spotify’s latest numbers.

Updated on: Sep 3, 2026, 15:32:48 IST

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Spotify is witnessing a notable shift in how Indian music is discovered, consumed and monetised. Artists are increasingly finding audiences beyond mainstream Hindi music and traditional film soundtracks.

Regional-language performers and independent musicians are gaining greater visibility on the platform. Indian music is also reaching more listeners beyond the country's borders.

Spotify's latest Loud & Clear report offers a closer look at this changing landscape. It highlights the growing reach and economic opportunities for Indian artists across languages and genres.

From the rise of independent music to the growing global appetite for regional-language songs, the report shows how streaming is reshaping India's music economy. Read on to find out what Spotify's latest data reveals.

Indian artists are earning more from Spotify

Royalties earned by Indian artists on Spotify rose 29 percent year on year in 2025. The number of artists earning more than ₹1 crore annually increased by 21 percent, while those earning more than ₹5 crore have more than doubled since 2023.

Globally, Spotify distributed more than $11 billion in music royalties in 2025, bringing its cumulative payouts since launch to nearly $70 billion.

Indian artists also recorded nearly 335 billion streams on Spotify last year, equivalent to more than 20 billion hours of listening. Globally, listeners discovered an Indian artist they had not heard before 12.8 billion times, up 14 percent from 2024.

Regional languages drive royalty growth

Regional-language music accounted for a significant share of India's royalty growth. Telugu recorded the sharpest increase, with royalties rising by more than 120 percent year on year. Marathi grew by nearly 50 percent, Bengali by nearly 40 percent, Malayalam by more than 30 percent, Hindi by nearly 30 percent, and Tamil by 20 percent.

Haryanvi has also become one of Spotify's fastest-growing regional categories. Streams for Haryanvi music increased nearly seven-fold between February 2023 and February 2026, while almost 100 Haryanvi acts now rank among Spotify India's top 5,000 artists.

Spotify has also expanded its RADAR programme to Malayalam, following initiatives for Punjabi and Tamil artists.

Independent artists are gaining ground

The growth extends beyond regional languages to independent music. In 2025, Indian artists accounted for 90 percent of tracks on Spotify India's Daily Top 50, while music released outside film soundtracks made up half of the country's year-end top 10.

Artists including Aditya Rikhari, Kushagra, Anuv Jain, Faheem Abdullah and Jasleen Royal featured alongside major film releases. Rikhari's independent track "Sahiba" held the number one spot on Spotify India for more than 11 consecutive weeks.

Rikhari said streaming had expanded the possibilities for independent musicians, with Spotify's discovery tools helping his music reach listeners across India. Independent artists are also increasingly appearing in mainstream cinema, with Jasmine Sandlas and Simran Choudhary among the independent performers featured on the Dhurandhar soundtrack.

Indian music is reaching global listeners

Dhruvank Vaidya, Head of Music & Podcast at Spotify India, said the rise in first-time discovery is translating into deeper engagement. He noted that 14 percent more listeners worldwide discovered an Indian artist for the first time in 2025, while Indian artists accumulated nearly 335 billion streams.

This growing international reach is reflected in Spotify's 2025 Global Impact List, where 11 of the top 15 songs were artist-first releases spanning Indian languages and genres. More than 40 percent of royalties earned by Indian artists also came from listeners outside India.

Punjabi music continues to lead India's international expansion, with Spotify featuring Tegi Pannu and Watan Sahi on its RADAR Global programme. However, the trend extends well beyond Punjabi music.

Anirudh Ravichander's Tamil album Coolie crossed 100 million Spotify streams within 10 days, while Sai Abhyankar and Sai Smriti's "Aasa Kooda" reached 238 million streams. Hanumankind's "Big Dawgs" crossed 360 million streams and reached number one on a Spotify global chart.

Women artists are also expanding their reach

Female Indian artists recorded strong streaming growth in 2025, with local streams up 27 per cent and international streams up 7 percent year on year.

Jasmine Sandlas reached number three on Spotify's Global Top 200 after her appearances on the Dhurandhar soundtrack. She also released "Legal Robbery", her first full-length album in more than five years, via her own label.

Spotify said programmes including EQUAL and RADAR continue to promote women artists across languages and genres.

Spotify sees a broader shift in India's music economy

Speaking at Spotify's Loud & Clear India event in New Delhi, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said the rise in royalties shows how digital platforms are helping artists from diverse regions find audiences and build sustainable careers.

He also highlighted the growing success of independent musicians and regional-language artists, describing India's linguistic diversity as an increasingly important economic strength.

The evolving role of listeners is another facet of this growth. In 2025, Indian artists appeared on more than 112 million user-created playlists worldwide, including nearly 59 million created in India.

Spotify's latest figures suggest India's music economy is becoming increasingly decentralised. Regional languages are generating more royalties, independent artists are gaining visibility, and Indian music is reaching international listeners without abandoning its linguistic or cultural identity.

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