In an era where India’s music streaming numbers are hitting unprecedented highs, the conversation is no longer just about who is topping the charts but also where those charts are leading the industry. With international labels, touring circuits and festival IPs increasingly eyeing the country, India has become one of the most closely watched music markets in the world. That’s the lens through which The Indian Music Charts Podcast examines the business of music, using chart movements and listener data to understand where the industry is headed.
Hosted by music journalist and self-described charts geek Amit Gurbaxani alongside music executive and data nerd Akhila Shankar, the show has steadily built a reputation as one of the most data-driven conversations around India’s music economy. Since winning the Best Arts/Entertainment Podcast at the HT Smartcast Podmasters Awards in 2023, it has consistently ranked among the most popular music commentary podcasts in India on Apple Podcasts.
What sets the show apart is its blend of hard data and candid industry insight. Using India’s music charts as a springboard, Amit and Akhila examine listener behaviour, industry shifts, and the business mechanics shaping the future of music. Over the past three years, the podcast has featured a wide range of voices from across the ecosystem including artists such as Asees Kaur and Chaar Diwari, as well as executives like Spotify India’s Dhruvank Vaidya and Padmanabhan NS, Warner Music’s Jay Mehta, BookMyShow’s Owen Roncon, and Believe’s director of artist services Shilpa Sharda.
The podcast’s February episode turns its attention to one of the industry’s most talked-about questions: Is India going to the world or is the world coming to India? Drawing on both on-ground industry observations and insights from the Luminate 2025 Year-End Music Report, the hosts explore India’s emergence as a priority market for global music, from rising international tours and festival franchises to increasing engagement with global artists among Indian listeners.
At the same time, the episode reflects on the outward journey of Indian music. While Indian artists are collaborating internationally and performing abroad more than ever, the discussion notes that global breakthrough moments beyond diaspora and indie circuits remain uneven. By weighing these parallel movements, the episode captures a market in transition, one that is attracting the world’s attention while still defining its own global footprint.
As India’s music economy scales rapidly and its listening habits grow more global, conversations like these are becoming increasingly important for anyone trying to understand where the industry is headed next. By combining data with on-ground perspective and candid industry dialogue, the podcast continues to document a market in motion that is simultaneously opening its doors to the world and attempting to expand its own global footprint. Whether tracking chart movements, touring patterns or emerging artist pathways, it offers a timely snapshot of how India is positioning itself within the global music ecosystem and what it will take for that presence to truly resonate worldwide.
