Spotify Warns Against One-Size-Fits-All OTT Regulation For Music Streaming In India

India’s musical influence is scaling new heights, with platforms like Spotify accelerating the country’s soft power across global markets. In 2024 alone, Indian artists were discovered over 11 billion times on the platform, according to Spotify’s Chief Public Affairs Officer, Dustee Jenkins. This surge reflects not only a growing global appetite for Indian music but also the effectiveness of Spotify’s localized strategies and India’s expanding digital landscape.

Leading this wave is Arijit Singh, who has become the most-followed artist on Spotify worldwide, amassing more than 144 million followers and surpassing even Taylor Swift, who had nearly 137 million as of May 5, 2025. Jenkins attributed this landmark achievement to the strength of India’s artist community and the platform’s continued investment in regional talent and tools that support their growth.

Crucially, the rise of Indian music is no longer confined to national boundaries. Jenkins noted that nearly half of the revenue generated by Indian artists on Spotify in the past year came from international listeners, signaling a remarkable shift in how and where Indian music is being consumed.

Since launching in India in 2019, Spotify has rolled out initiatives like RADAR, which promotes emerging talent globally, and EQUAL, which amplifies the voices of women in music. The platform also empowers artists through Spotify for Artists, providing valuable listener data that helps them connect with audiences, fine-tune content strategies, and even plan live performances based on regional preferences.

However, this momentum comes at a moment of regulatory uncertainty. In January 2024, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting proposed including music streaming platforms under the Digital Media Ethics Code, currently applied to video OTT services. While the proposal is aimed at enhancing accountability, Jenkins warned that imposing video-like regulations on music platforms could have unintended consequences. She welcomed progressive measures like the government's Rs 1,000 crore creator fund but cautioned against broad rules that could stifle creative freedom and drive up compliance costs for artists and platforms alike.