Sep 21, 2026 2:07pm IST
How Music Shapes India’s Festive Season, From Devotional Songs To Party Playlists
India’s festive season comes with its own soundtrack. From Onam songs and Ganesh Chaturthi bhajans to Navratri playlists, Durga Puja music and Diwali party tracks, the language and occasion may change, but music remains a constant across celebrations.
Spotify’s latest data suggests that listening is also closely tied to how people feel. According to the platform, 59% of its weekly users in India say Spotify makes them feel happy and joyful, with no net negative feelings. Meanwhile, 73% say their time on Spotify feels more positive than time spent on social media, while 76% say the platform has a positive impact on their lives.
That relationship with music extends beyond the festive calendar. Indians spend an average of two hours a day on Spotify, with listening fitting into different parts of the daily routine, from morning workouts and school runs to work, household chores and winding down at the end of the day. The platform says 86% of surveyed listeners mute video content in favour of focused audio, including music and podcasts.
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As the festive weeks progress, listening patterns change. Spotify reports a 34% increase in party playlist streams, alongside a 13% rise in devotional listening. The two can coexist within the same household and even the same day, with devotional music accompanying morning rituals before party playlists take over later.
The shift is also visible in where people listen. During the festive period, listening across TVs, cars and speakers rises 11% above the August baseline, reaching 5.24 million weekly content hours. Music that might otherwise remain a personal experience increasingly becomes part of shared spaces, from living rooms and kitchens to family car journeys.
For India’s festive season, then, music serves more than one purpose. It accompanies rituals, celebrations, travel and everyday routines, while providing a common soundtrack as families and communities come together. The festival may change from one part of the country to another, but music remains embedded in the way the season is experienced.
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