Tag: bollywood

What Gen Z Listeners Are Streaming in Pakistan

September 15, 2023

Since Spotify’s launch in Pakistan in 2021, the platform has become a destination for younger generations to make their voices heard by powering unprecedented musical trends. To better understand what these listeners love, we looked at Spotify streaming data between July 2 and August 2 for listeners aged 16 to 27 to see what tracks, artists, and genres are rising to the top.

Overall, these listeners gravitate toward genres like filmi, modern Bollywood, desi pop, pop, and Punjabi pop. These high-bass beats often reverberate across Pakistan late into the evening, with 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. representing the most popular time frame for these listeners to stream music on Spotify.

We also learned that “Lagda Nahi” by Ammy Gill and Toshi is the most-streamed track for listeners between the ages of 16 and 20. Next in line are “Bikhra” and “Iraaday” by the powerful duo Abdul Hannan and Rovalio. Shifting to listeners aged 21 to 27, we found that the same songs rank in the top three, but the order is reversed: “Iraaday” ranks top, with “Bikhra” next and “Lagda Nahi” third.

One thing that the 16 to 27-year-olds can agree on: Rapper and songwriter Talha Anjum sits at the top as the most-streamed local artist for these listeners in Pakistan. He is followed by the pop legend Atif Aslam and Spotify’s Fresh Finds discovery, Abdul Hannan, who has blossomed into a global sensation.

If we turn to global artists, Indian artist and the king of heartbreak anthems Arijit Singh is the artist 16-to-27-year-olds stream the most, with Indian composer Pritam, American pop star Taylor Swift, Indian rapper Shubh, and Indian singer AP Dhillon rounding out the top five.

Spotify’s curated local playlists have also become a favorite for many listeners. For Gen Z, the top playlists streamed include Hot Hits Pakistan, Shaadi Hits, and Desi Hits. Millennials also gravitate toward Hot Hits Pakistan and Shaadi Hits, but their third-most-streamed playlist is Pakka Hit Hai.

Check out what Gen Zs in Pakistan have been grooving to late into the evening. Check out Hot Hits Pakistan.

Broadcasting Desi Music to New Homes Around the World

August 7, 2023

Bollywood dance music, chill Sufi songs, hot Punjabi hits—all of these sounds make up the diverse and varied world of Desi music. They also represent artists and genres coming out of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Listeners across the region flock to Spotify to celebrate their culture and its music. And no matter where they go, their heritage moves with them. 

This South Asian Heritage Month, Spotify is celebrating the music of the region locally and across the South Asian diaspora. Listeners in the U.S., UK, and Canada remain the leading countries that stream Desi music, followed by Australia and Germany. Desi music is growing rapidly in the UAE, Australia, and Canada—and shows the largest increase in streams of the South Asian music genre—recording year-on-year growth of 72%, 54%, and 50% respectively. 

In Pakistan, too, 2023 has seen a phenomenal rise in the production and appreciation of Punjabi music. Compared to 2021, the total number of Punjabi track releases has nearly doubled, showcasing the industry’s vibrant growth and creative evolution. Punjabi pop, with its catchy tunes, has witnessed a remarkable 99% year-on-year increase in listener consumption in the market. Meanwhile, Punjabi Hip Hop has seen an astounding 106% growth in its listenership in Pakistan. This surge in popularity reflects the genre’s universal appeal, which then transcends borders and cultures.

“With Spotify significantly strengthening its position in South Asian markets, we are able to connect artists to their fans and communities across the globe, and have witnessed a growing love for South Asian artists and Desi music that reflects in the exponential growth of streams of our Desi playlists,” says Rutaba Yaqub, Spotify Senior Editor in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. 

“Millions in the South Asian diaspora long for a connection to home. Music keeps them in touch and Spotify wants to celebrate and enable that connection. So we’re celebrating South Asian Heritage Month this year by building a strong cultural connection between Desi music and its listeners through our South Asian Music Hub, where listeners can find and enjoy popular Desi playlists and more,” she added. 

That connection was felt especially this year with Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s track “Pasoori.” After its release, “Pasoori” became a phenomenon that took its place on the global Viral 50 chart, the first Pakistani song to achieve this feat. It continues to be the most-streamed Pakistani track globally. This month, we also spotlight Ali Sethi and the influential Irfan Junejo in a Spotlight series on our platform.

Indian music preferences are a little more varied. The most-streamed songs from India in a majority of the largest diaspora markets, including the U.S., UK, UAE, and Australia, feature Bollywood hits like “Kesariya (from ‘Brahmastra’),” followed by “Besharam Rang,” and “Jhoome Jo Pathaan” (both from Pathaan). In Canada, however, the top 10-streamed Desi songs from the past year prominently feature Punjabi pop and hip-hop. “52 Bars” by Karan Aujla and Ikky was the most listened-to track. 

“South Asian music is undoubtedly here to stay, and India is one of the largest contributors to the export of artists from this region,” says Rahul Balyan, Head of Music, Spotify India. “With Spotify, sounds from across the world have become easier to discover and share, and for the Indian diaspora, which happens to be the largest in the world, music is an integral part of how they stay connected to their roots. All our data indicates that film, as well as pop music, appeals the most to those listeners, and Indian artists performing at international music festivals is testament to the impact that they are making even beyond the diaspora.” 

For the best of South Asian music, stream Desi Hits. 

Take a Dive Into Retro Bollywood With Our Groovy Quiz

July 1, 2020

It’s time for a throwback to one of the most vibrant eras of Indian cinema: retro! With its disco balls, rainbow-y pops of color, and black-and-white scenes, the music of yesteryear—filled with iconic moments and tunes—has managed to woo listeners across countries to this day.

Spotify’s rich and robust retro music catalogue, accompanied by over 60 playlists (such as Chai & Classics, 80’s Romance Hits, All Out 90s Tamil, and Punjabi Legacy) is bringing listeners from India, as well as the U.S., Canada, Poland, Ireland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, and beyond, to indulge in a bit of nostalgia from the ’50s through the ’90s.

The beloved retro Bollywood tracks have also spilled over into current global pop culture and music. Consider yourself a fan? Put your knowledge to the test with this quiz. (Psst . . . You can keep guessing until you get the answer right!) 

1. Which popular American R&B song from the early 2000s is inspired by the retro Bollywood track “Thoda Resham Lagta Hai?”
2. How many times does “Yahoo” appear in actor Shammi Kapoor’s evergreen track “Yahoo, Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe?”
3. The Black Eyed Peas have frequently used Indian film music in their songs. Their pop hit “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” features this epic Bollywood track.
4. Here’s to cross-country love! Which country, outside of India, has a huge fan base for late actor Raj Kapoor?
5. “What’s Happenin” by Method Man feat. Busta Rhymes features the sound of which iconic (and unforgettable) Bollywood song?
6. This singer was a huge boxing fan and met up with ultimate boxing champ Mohammed Ali while on a tour to Chicago in the late ’70s. (Hint: In an iconic picture, this singer is seen “punching” Ali!)
7. Is 7 your lucky number? Which Bollywood film was a remake of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers?
8. The catchy track “It’s My Birthday” by will.i.am and Cody Wise was inspired by which superhit Tamil song by A.R. Rahman?
9. Ah, it’s lucky number 7 again. Akira Kurosawa's 7 Samurais inspired The Magnificent Seven and which iconic Bollywood film?
10. Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar are two legendary singers from India. True or false: Mohammed Rafi has actually been a playback singer for Kishore Kumar.

A Close Look at India’s Love for International Pop

May 4, 2020

Did you know there was once a Danish band that was more popular in India than in Denmark? The group Michael Learns to Rock shot to fame with singles like “The Actor” and “That’s Why You Go Away” in the ’90s. At the height of their success, they made tour stops in the Indian cities of Bengaluru and Chennai. The band was so well received that they amassed an enormous cult following across the country for years to come. 

“They got into cabs and went to the airport in Copenhagen—living the normal life. And when they landed in India, there was a huge entourage that greeted them with garlands, and limousines carried them to their hotels,” Padmanabhan Nurani, Spotify’s Head of Artists and Label Marketing India, tells For the Record. 

It’s just a mere glimpse of how the country’s music fans have long embraced local and global artists. 

Home to countless Bollywood stars, along with raga virtuosos, indie talent, and more, India has been a vibrant hub for international music and a top tour destination for world-class acts like Led Zeppelin and Bruce Springsteen. Sneha Singh, Head of Music Culture and Editorial India, credits the rich diversity of the country’s music landscape for this broad acceptance of global sounds.

“Because we have so many languages, it’s just ingrained in us to take in and to respect each other’s cultures,” Singh tells For the Record. “Acceptance is fairly easy and this means we listen to all kinds of music.”

The robust and rich content on Spotify India ranges from locally curated favorites like Top Hits Hindi and Punjabi 101 to global playlists like Today’s Top Hits and New Music Friday. Now, with the recent addition of the Warner Music Group catalog in India, listeners are also streaming the latest tracks from global stars such as Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, and Cardi B, and rock fans have access to entire discographies of Coldplay, Linkin Park, and The Doors, among others.

In the first two weeks of the catalog’s availability in India, Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa were the top two most-searched Warner Music artists, respectively. The most-searched-for tracks were “Dance Monkey“ by Australian songwriter Tones And I, followed by Roddy Ricch’s infectious hip-hop anthem “The Box.” 

Nurani says it’s no surprise that Ed Sheeran comes up tops for the nation of 1.3 billion people. Sheeran has performed in India twice. In 2017 he greeted his audience with a respectful “namaste” (“hello” in Hindi) before performing dressed in a blue silk kurta, the traditional shirt worn across South Asia. The “Shape of You” star’s choice of wardrobe made national headlines, and the song played on the radio for the next two years. 

Like Sheeran, Dua Lipa is also a regular in India and shows her appreciation for local culture whenever she performs there. Before playing in Mumbai last year, Dua Lipa took some time to meet with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and even picked up a few of his dance moves. Khan’s post to Instagram fed a local media frenzy online and delighted fans everywhere—such is the interest in “Bollywood meets Hollywood.”

To editorial expert Singh, these cross-cultural collaborations are all a natural expression of how pop culture works in this diverse, music-savvy country. “We have borrowed from the West, and the other way around,” she says. “Music has always been about inspiration and evolving it for the listener’s ears.”

Looking for a deep dive into Indian pop? Start with Spotify’s Hot Hits India playlist and keep going with New Music Friday India and This Is Arjit Singh.

From Egyptian Pop to Indian Bollywood, R3HAB Tastes the World’s Many Sonic Flavors

April 7, 2020

These days, Dutch house producer R3HAB is looking past borders and across the seas for inspiration.

His songs usually fit along nicely with those of fellow Dutch DJs like Afrojack and Hardwell, delivering pulsing beats with a pop flourish. But recently he teamed up with a force from farther south—Egyptian superstar Amr Diab, whose warm, lively croon sails over sparkly synths and a syncopated Dutch thump on a remix of Diab’s 2019 hit “Youm Talat.”

Mixing music of different cultures is often easier said than done, but for R3HAB, this and other recent globe-trotting collaborations came about naturally. “I love the Middle East. I love Southeast Asia. I love India. I love the food, I love the culture, I love the people,” the 34-year-old DJ and producer tells For the Record. “I always listen to all types of music, so it doesn’t matter where it’s from. Spotify stimulates this with their playlists from music all around the world. I just turn those on, and I don’t try to put what I hear in a box.” R3HAB’s appetite for music from all around the world is on full display in his new track—a collaborative cover of the Radiohead song “Creep” featuring DJ/producer/remixer GATTÜSO. Their creative take on the rock classic is the first-ever “mint Singles,” a spin-off of the popular Spotify Singles series and companion to our flagship dance playlist, mint.

Born Fadil El Ghoul, R3HAB grew up in the southern Netherlands city of Breda, where Hardwell also grew up. Dutch house has long had an eclectic streak—Afrojack’s “Moombah” remix was the source code for the freaky fusions of moombahton, after all. And R3HAB takes his own free-flowing approach to dance music, borrowing and reinventing at will.

But he hit a whole new level of cultural engagement when he performed last year at MDL Beast, a massive music festival in Riyadh where R3HAB delivered show-stopping performances. Tens of thousands of fans sang along as he laid down remixes and pumping beats for the likes of Egyptian star Mohamed Hamaki and Saudi legend Rabeh Saqer.

Diab also appeared onstage at MDL Beast, where he and R3HAB unveiled the remix of “Youm Talat.” R3HAB loved the idea of working with the Egyptian great; his mom is a huge fan, and he’s made an indelible mark on pop music from Cairo to Times Square. Diab reached out to R3HAB before the Riyadh festival, sending him the studio recordings of the track and other songs so the younger artist could rebuild them as remixes.

The original “Youm Talat” bursts with Diab’s trademark Mediterranean rhythms and lovestruck lyrics sung in the Egyptian dialect. On the remix, R3HAB keeps Diab’s vocals—instantly recognizable to any fan of Arab pop—but swaps out the Andalusian accordion and Cairo party beat for a silky-smooth sound fit for the peak hours of a late-night dance party. “We made a totally new version with a totally different feel, and he loved it so much,” R3HAB says. “We’re actually working on more music now.”

In addition to reworking Diab’s music, R3HAB teamed up recently with Indian songwriter Qaran Mehta to record “Ki Kehna,” a nightclub ballad that combines Dutch house with swooning Bollywood pop. It’s projects like these that distinguish R3HAB as a global-minded innovator. 

“R3HAB is a really talented DJ and producer, building his career very well over the last years,” says Wilbert Mutsaers, Spotify Head of Music Benelux. “He’s in our perspective one of the most hardworking, friendly, and motivated Dutch DJs we know, and also very actively involved in promoting his own music and collabs.”

Indeed, wherever R3HAB is, he’s always hungry for new sounds and collaborators. “It’s actually similar to my food,” he says. “I like to taste all kitchens all around the world.”

Hit play on Spotify’s flagship dance playlist, mint, to hear R3HAB’s and GATTÜSO’s new remix of the Radiohead classic “Creep.”

Six Months of Data Shows India’s Increasing Appetite for Streaming

September 3, 2019

From a steady stream of Arijit Singh songs to a growing interest with podcasts, six months of Spotify streaming data shows India is a nation of audiophiles. In early March this year, we looked at what the first million users were streaming in the week after Spotify launched for India’s millions of music and podcast lovers. Right away we saw a surge in streams of pop hits from around the world. But after six months, Spotify’s listeners in India are showing plenty of love for music from home as well as abroad—plus a few other notable trends.

One thing that it isn’t in doubt: music plays a starring role in all aspects of Indian life. We saw this in June with a deep dive into the mood-based playlists users stream throughout the day. And today we can see the variation across regions and where tastes transcend India’s disparate cultures.

From Bollywood stars to pan-Asian breakouts to global sensations (yes, BTS is beloved everywhere), here are the artists, playlists, podcasts, and noteworthy trends from Spotify’s first half year in India.

Stream Top Hits Hindi, one of India’s most popular playlists.

The Top Music from Spotify’s First Week in India

March 6, 2019

Last week, we brought Spotify to music lovers in India, the world’s second-most-populous country. Since then, more than one million unique users there have registered for the app. They’ve started to explore an improved experience finely tuned for them with free on-demand content for all, personalization (including many different language options), and multi-platform play.

So what are our newest users streaming? We checked out their top artists, songs, editorial playlists, and genres. What we found is that Indians are starting off strong by listening to musicians and tracks from around the globe, with 68 percent of artists in the top 50 hailing from somewhere other than India. Although the top-streamed songs represent music from around the world, the most-searched artists tend to be local. The top playlists compromise a blend of languages, resembling the diverse makeup of the Indian population.

From Bollywood to Dance Pop and Desi hip-hop to Today’s Top Hits, here are the sounds of Spotify’s first week in India.

Top 10 Songs:

  1. “Sucker” – Jonas Brothers
  2. “I Can’t Get Enough” – benny blanco ft. Selena Gomez, J Balvin, Tainy
  3. “7 rings” – Ariana Grande
  4. “Shallow” – Lady Gaga
  5. “Sunflower” – Post Malone, from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
  6. “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored” – Ariana Grande
  7. “Duniyaa” (From “Luka Chuppi”) – Akhil
  8. “Con Calma” – Daddy Yankee
  9. “i’m so tired…” – Lauv
  10. “Talk” – Khalid

Top 10 Artists:

  1. Arijit Singh
  2. Ariana Grande
  3. Tanishk Bagchi
  4. Badshah
  5. Post Malone
  6. Neha Kakkar
  7. BTS
  8. A.R. Rahman
  9. Selena Gomez
  10. Pritam

Top Spotify Playlists:

  1. Today’s Top Hits
  2. Top Hits Hindi
  3. Top Hits Punjabi
  4. Bollywood Romance
  5. Bollywood Butter
  6. Sound of Mumbai
  7. Sleep
  8. Bollywood Party
  9. RAP 91
  10. Desi Hits

Top-streamed genres:

  1. Pop
  2. Dance pop
  3. Desi hip hop
  4. Desi
  5. Filmi
  6. Indian pop
  7. Post-teen pop
  8. Modern bollywood
  9. Sufi
  10. Pop rap

Tune in to Top Hits Hindi to check out some of the most popular music in India right now.

Bollywood Breaks Ground on Spotify with Arrival of T-Series Catalogue

January 16, 2019

For more than thirty million people of Indian origin living overseas, Spotify is where they can hear the sounds of home. And, with this week’s addition of an expanded catalog from T-Series, users can now enjoy thousands of songs from India’s leading music and film company.

The T-Series catalog is full of beloved Bollywood and regional movie soundtracks, as well as albums from established and emerging artists. These additions expand our new Desi hub, which launched in June. Desi features music from Indian genres like Bollywood and Bhangra, and in regional languages such as Punjab and Tamil, to showcase the rich diversity and culture of the region’s artists.

“For us as a diasporic Indian community—to be able to find one place where we can listen to both the Western music we grew up with and the Eastern music that we relate to—this is so significant for lovers of this culture,” says Himanshu Suri, Spotify’s Desi hub editor.

“Bollywood” is the most popular search term for fans of Indian music on Spotify. The T-Series catalog boasts more than 160,000 songs, including Bollywood favorites, some of which are considered to be the most popular Indian songs recorded over the past thirty years. “Clearly, we’re excited, and we know Bollywood lovers will be too, about adding all the incredible hits from T-Series into the mix,” explains Himanshu.

With the addition of T-Series, Desi (or, “from the land”) music lovers everywhere can get excited for plenty more Bollywood—from modern hits such as “Aankh Marey” to nostalgic favorites. Take a listen to the top ten most beloved Bollywood songs on Spotify to date.

  1. Bom Diggy – Zack Knight and Jasmin Walla

Just as the audience for the Desi hub originates from outside of India, so does the first song on the list. UK artists Zack Knight and Jasmin Walla recorded this track in Punjabi, English, and Bengali, and it was featured in the Bollywood movie Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety.

  1. Imran Khan – Satisfya

Dutch-Pakistani, urban Punjabi singer Imran Khan released the Punjabi song “Satisfya” in 2013.

  1. Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) – A.R. Rahman

This English, Hindu, Urdu, and Punjabi song is considered to be one of the most well-known Indian songs for Western audiences, thanks to the 2008 Hollywood blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire.

  1. Proper Patola – Badshah

Badshah’s EDM-influenced song rounded out the soundtrack to Namaste England.

  1. Channa Mereya – Pritam

This eleven-award-winning love song, which translates as “The light of my soul,” comes from the 2016 Bollywood film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

  1. Bole Chudiyan – Jatin-Lalit

Sitar-filled and sweet, this song comes from the 2001 Bollywood nostalgia film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Sometimes There’s Happiness, Sometimes There’s Sorrow).

  1. Thumka – Zack Knight

The second Zack Knight song to grace this list alludes to Latin artist Shakira. “I see Punjabi music as the most likely Indian genre to cross over like Latin music has,” says Himanshu.

  1. Enna Sona – A.R. Rahman

This track is one of two on the list from the 2017 Hindi-language movie OK Jaanu (OK Darling).

  1. The Humma Song – A.R. Rahman

The second song from OK Jaanu. Himanshu notes that most fans of Bollywood music search for an actor, rather than a singer, to find their favorite Bollywood hits.

  1. Maahi Ve – Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

2003 Bollywood film Kal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come) featured this song alongside an Indian take on Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” called “Pretty Woman.”

 

For more Indian music, from Bollywood to Bhangra, take a listen to the Desi flagship playlist, Desi Hits. You can also learn about our Global Cultures Initiative here.