MUMBAI:  Spotify India has released key highlights of its recently commissioned Nielsen study, ‘Culture & Audio Streaming Trends’ (CAST), which shows how Indians across cities and age groups associate with artists, discover music, as well as their music moments and genre preferences. While most Indians discover music through audio streaming apps, friends, and movies, the country itself is a melting pot of music cultures and genres. It also highlights how deeply entrenched the Spotify user in India is with not just music, but also artists when compared to the average music listener in the country.

“We undertook this study to understand what appeals to music listeners in India and what shapes their discovery and consumption of audio - and what we discovered is that Spotify users don’t just know their music but are also highly engaged with the artists behind the songs. Our listeners are also more likely to listen to podcasts more regularly, as compared to the  average music listener in the country”, said Amarjit Singh Batra, Managing Director - India, Spotify.

According to the study, Spotify users are 39% more likely to listen to music to connect with or learn about the artist, when compared to the average Indian music listener. Data also shows that while 73% of the total respondents often follow their favourite music artists and bands on social media, those who use Spotify are 15% more likely to do so. Similarly, compared to the average Indian music listener, Spotify users are 12% more likely to prefer listening to artists and bands that not many people have heard of, and are advanced music listeners on whom family and friends rely on for music recommendations. The average Spotify user is also 68% more likely to listen to a podcast at least once a month.

“Today, listeners across age groups and cities are connecting with audio to soundtrack their lives while relaxing, doing chores, or working, to socialise, and to reminisce - and what we offer on Spotify caters to these needs. First, we’ve got over 4 billion editorially curated and user-created playlists that span genres, moods, and moments; second, Spotify lets you easily share your favourite podcasts and songs with friends and family; and finally, algorithmic playlists such as Repeat Rewind or Wrapped that take you back to music you’ve heard over and over again in the not-so-far-off past”, Batra adds.

The study also highlights other interesting consumer behaviour trends such as the higher inclination of music listeners in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Goa to follow their favourite music artists and bands on social media, when compared to the average Indian music listener. Similarly, respondents in the southern belt, including Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai are more likely to visit an artist’s social media page at least once a month. In terms of passion for music, over 70% respondents across age groups in India prefer listening to artists and bands that not many people have heard of.