Expanding horizons for local Indie Artists

Resonating with music for all, Spotify is an influential audio streaming platform dedicated to supporting artists across all career stages by multiplying their connections in the industry, expanding their fan-following, promoting their new releases, and increasing their visibility across the globe.

Whether artists are dropping singles or EPs, the platform enables creators to get discovered by new fans through its personalized playlists. In addition, it empowers local artists to market their music effectively through innovative tools like ‘Spotify for Artists (S4A)’ which provides real-time statistics for free and helps the artists better understand their listeners around the world. 

The rise of indie 

Seeing that the Pakistani youth is hungry to discover new music, Spotify embarked on a journey to amplify the music evolution in Pakistan by championing a wide range of music genres like dance, electronic, rock, pop, hip-hop, and so much more. In addition, the music leader has also focused on new voices coming out of the indie scene and made it easier for young artists to kick start their careers. 

Over the past year since Spotify launched in Pakistan, we’ve seen indie music continue to grow exponentially. According to recent Spotify data, 11% of Pakistani indie music is streamed in the US, and the genre has seen an increase of 150% in global streams. These figures show how Pakistani indie music crosses borders and connects with fans outside of the home. Sonically, indie music is fluid and encompasses sounds from many genres and diverse artists, making it easy for indie music to grow regionally and globally. 

The sound of a new generation 

The rising influence of Gen Z has increased the demand for indie music in Pakistan. The new generation’s values around content curation, experimentation, and collaboration are pushing the genre forward.
 
Playlists like “Pakistani Indie 101”, one of the most popular local playlists curated by Spotify over the past year, have played a role in connecting young artists with young fans. The playlist features names from all over the country, including the new soulful voice from Gilgit-Baltistan, Hasan Raheem, the multi-talented Talal Qureshi, the girl with sweet melodious vocals Zahra Paracha and so many more. “Pakistani Indie 101” has been the entry point for indie artists on Spotify to get discovered by global fans and an avenue for artists to experiment with their sounds and still find a place to get playlisted. 

Indie’s rise was also evident in season 14 from Coke Studio. Under its partnership with Spotify, the Coke Studio: Pakistan destination highlighted local indie artists, including Hasan Raheem, Kaifi Khalil, and Shae Gill, who have captivated the listeners with their dynamic performances.

The future of the genre 

From singing in the basement to jamming with big names in the music industry, the new era of indie music has just begun. Commenting on the future of indie music, Khan FM, who looks after Artists and Label Partnerships at Spotify, said, “We expect indie music to continue encompassing diverse sounds and visions from emerging artists. We also expect indie music to continue fostering experimentation and embrace its non-genre conforming identity. More lo-fi, more rawness and cross-genre collaborations.” 

What else has Pakistan been listening to? Check out the list below: 

 Top Locally Curated Spotify Playlists:
1. · Pakistani Indie 101
2. · Hot Hits Pakistan
3. · Pakistani Hip-Hop
4. · Desi Lo-Fi
5. · Pakistani 10s Hits