Spotify turns up the volume on I-Pop icons live

MUMBAI: Pop goes India, and Spotify just gave it a stage to match. On November 7, Mumbai pulsed to the beat of Spotify I-Pop Icons Live, the streaming giant’s first-ever live celebration of India’s thriving pop scene. Featuring electric performances by King, Armaan Malik, Jonita Gandhi, Aditya Rikhari, Kushagra, Hansika Pareek and Sanju Rathod, the night marked a defining moment for I-Pop’s growing cultural footprint.

I-Pop, short for Indian Pop, has rapidly become one of Spotify’s most streamed genres, spanning languages, moods and borders. Aditya Rikhari’s “Sahiba” currently rules the Spotify weekly top songs India chart, while twelve of the top twenty tracks are I-Pop hits, proof that the genre has officially gone mainstream.

Since launching I-Pop Icons in 2024, Spotify has seen over 4 lakh followers tune in, with companion playlists like I-Pop rising, I-Pop chill and I-Pop Party creating a full-fledged sonic universe for fans.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen the consumption of I-Pop increase significantly,” said Spotify India head of music and podcast Dhruvank Vaidya. “With I-Pop Icons Live, we’re not just curating playlists, we’re building a movement that connects artists and their biggest fans.”

The artists lighting up the stage are already household names. King’s Maan Meri Jaan was Spotify India’s most-streamed song of 2023; Armaan Malik, with over 23 million followers, continues to bridge global and Indian pop; while Jonita Gandhi and Aditya Rikhari are defining the new sound of urban India. Rising stars like Hansika Pareek, Kushagra and Sanju Rathod added fresh flavour, with Marathi pop’s breakout anthem Gulabi Sadi creating history as the first in its language to cross 100 million streams.

As the lights dimmed and the beats lingered, one thing was clear, I-Pop isn’t just India’s next big sound. It’s already here, loud, proud and streaming on repeat.