In an effort to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Indian classical music and the artists who bring it to audiences worldwide, Spotify has announced ‘Echo’ as a celebration of World Music Day. As part of this initiative, they have introduced three new playlists that honour iconic Indian musical instruments. These playlists feature the flute player Naveen Kumar, the multi-percussionist Anuradha Pal, and the sitar player Rishab Sharma.
The popularity of Indian classical instrumental music is soaring not just within the country but also around the globe, captivating listeners of all ages. In the past two years alone, the consumption of India’s classical music on Spotify has skyrocketed by nearly 500%. What’s interesting is that a significant portion of these listeners, approximately 45%, are young music enthusiasts under the age of 25.
To cater to this growing interest, Echo will spotlight a different musical instrument every month, immersing the listeners in vibrant cultural heritage through artist interviews, explorations of its historical significance, and more. This initiative has a twofold purpose: to celebrate and preserve the essence of Indian classical music and to introduce it to a fresh generation of listeners on Spotify.
Rahul Balyan, Head of Music, Spotify India, said, “The rich cultural heritage of Indian classical music and musical instruments continues to be celebrated in India and around the world. On Spotify, we have seen a growth in consumption of Indian classical instrumental music in recent years, with the younger generation forming a large part of these listeners. Through Echo, we expand our offering of Indian classical instrumental music on the platform, through three new playlists and artist collaborations. We are proud to be working with some of the foremost Indian classical musicians for this initiative, and hope to be able to take their music to even more listeners across the country and the world.”
