SUR & SAUDASpotify's India report: the money is moving to independent artists
The short answerSpotify's Loud & Clear India report says royalties generated by Indian artists on Spotify grew 29% in 2025. Non-film songs made up half the year-end top 10, 11 of the 15 most-exported Indian songs came straight from artists, and more than 40% of royalties came from listeners outside India.
The headline numbers
- Royalties generated by Indian artists on Spotify grew 29% in 2025.
- The number of Indian artists generating more than ₹1 crore a year grew 21%; those generating more than ₹5 crore have doubled since 2023.
- Listeners streamed Indian artists nearly 335 billion times.
Independent artists are winning
- 5 of the 10 songs in Spotify India's 2025 year-end top 10 were I-Pop: popular Indian music released outside film soundtracks.
- 11 of the 15 most-exported Indian songs came directly from artists, not films.
Regional languages are rising fastest
| Language | Royalty growth, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Telugu | Up over 120% |
| Marathi | Up nearly 50% |
| Bengali | Up nearly 40% |
| Malayalam | Up over 30% |
| Hindi | Up nearly 30% |
| Tamil | Up 20% |
The world is listening
More than 40% of royalties earned by Indian artists on Spotify in 2025 came from listeners outside India.
What it means
The money is moving to artists who release on their own, in their own languages. The know-how hasn't moved with it: in a 2025 survey of 80 Indian independent musicians, 60% said a lack of marketing and reach was costing them income. That gap is what Learn is for.
Questions people ask
Which Indian languages grew fastest on Spotify in 2025?
By royalties generated: Telugu up over 120%, Marathi nearly 50%, Bengali nearly 40%, Malayalam over 30%, Hindi nearly 30% and Tamil 20%.
Does 29% growth mean artists earned 29% more?
Not exactly. It's growth in royalties generated by Indian artists' music, which are then shared with labels, distributors and publishers depending on each artist's deals.