Bollywood Breaks Ground on Spotify with Arrival of T-Series Catalogue
For more than thirty million people of Indian origin living overseas, Spotify is where they can hear the sounds of home. And, with this week’s addition of an expanded catalog from T-Series, users can now enjoy thousands of songs from India’s leading music and film company.
The T-Series catalog is full of beloved Bollywood and regional movie soundtracks, as well as albums from established and emerging artists. These additions expand our new Desi hub, which launched in June. Desi features music from Indian genres like Bollywood and Bhangra, and in regional languages such as Punjab and Tamil, to showcase the rich diversity and culture of the region’s artists.
“For us as a diasporic Indian community—to be able to find one place where we can listen to both the Western music we grew up with and the Eastern music that we relate to—this is so significant for lovers of this culture,” says Himanshu Suri, Spotify’s Desi hub editor.
“Bollywood” is the most popular search term for fans of Indian music on Spotify. The T-Series catalog boasts more than 160,000 songs, including Bollywood favorites, some of which are considered to be the most popular Indian songs recorded over the past thirty years. “Clearly, we’re excited, and we know Bollywood lovers will be too, about adding all the incredible hits from T-Series into the mix,” explains Himanshu.
With the addition of T-Series, Desi (or, “from the land”) music lovers everywhere can get excited for plenty more Bollywood—from modern hits such as “Aankh Marey” to nostalgic favorites. Take a listen to the top ten most beloved Bollywood songs on Spotify to date.
- Bom Diggy – Zack Knight and Jasmin Walla
Just as the audience for the Desi hub originates from outside of India, so does the first song on the list. UK artists Zack Knight and Jasmin Walla recorded this track in Punjabi, English, and Bengali, and it was featured in the Bollywood movie Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety.
- Imran Khan – Satisfya
Dutch-Pakistani, urban Punjabi singer Imran Khan released the Punjabi song “Satisfya” in 2013.
- Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) – A.R. Rahman
This English, Hindu, Urdu, and Punjabi song is considered to be one of the most well-known Indian songs for Western audiences, thanks to the 2008 Hollywood blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire.
- Proper Patola – Badshah
Badshah’s EDM-influenced song rounded out the soundtrack to Namaste England.
- Channa Mereya – Pritam
This eleven-award-winning love song, which translates as “The light of my soul,” comes from the 2016 Bollywood film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
- Bole Chudiyan – Jatin-Lalit
Sitar-filled and sweet, this song comes from the 2001 Bollywood nostalgia film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Sometimes There’s Happiness, Sometimes There’s Sorrow).
- Thumka – Zack Knight
The second Zack Knight song to grace this list alludes to Latin artist Shakira. “I see Punjabi music as the most likely Indian genre to cross over like Latin music has,” says Himanshu.
- Enna Sona – A.R. Rahman
This track is one of two on the list from the 2017 Hindi-language movie OK Jaanu (OK Darling).
- The Humma Song – A.R. Rahman
The second song from OK Jaanu. Himanshu notes that most fans of Bollywood music search for an actor, rather than a singer, to find their favorite Bollywood hits.
- Maahi Ve – Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
2003 Bollywood film Kal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come) featured this song alongside an Indian take on Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” called “Pretty Woman.”
For more Indian music, from Bollywood to Bhangra, take a listen to the Desi flagship playlist, Desi Hits. You can also learn about our Global Cultures Initiative here.
