Gaana Recap 2025: TrueFans And Regional Music Power India’s Streaming Economy

2025 marked a defining shift in India’s music consumption. Listening became more local, more rooted and far more intentional. On Gaana, India’s largest subscription-only music streaming platform, users didn’t just press play,they stayed longer, returned more often and explored deeper into regional, Indian-rooted and non-film music.

Because Gaana operates entirely on subscriptions, every stream comes from a paying listener,what the platform calls a TrueFan. The sharp rise in time spent listening per user this year points to something bigger than growth: it signals commitment. Engagement wasn’t passive or incidental; it was deliberate.

Regional music led the cultural reset

Regional languages shaped India’s listening story in 2025, with the strongest momentum coming from the East. Assamese music emerged as the year’s breakout, recording a 42% jump in time spent listening,making it the fastest-growing language on the platform.

Across regions, Punjabi pop continued its dominance, driven by repeat-heavy hits such as Azul by Guru Randhawa and For A Reason by Karan Aujla & Ikky. Bhojpuri remained one of the most loyal categories, with tracks like Aaho Raja, Dilwa Le Ja Rumaal Me and Arrah Ke Othlali (Pawan Singh) seeing sustained traction. Haryanvi music cemented its cultural rise, led by Masoom Sharma’s consistent performance across tracks like 2 Khatole, Teri Ramjhol Bole Gi and Raat Ke Shikari.

In Marathi, Sanju Rathod’s Shaky and Sundari continued their strong run. Telugu audiences gravitated towards Devi Sri Prasad’s Bujji Thalli and Viral Vayyari, while Tamil listeners showed sticky engagement with tracks such as Oorum Blood, Monica and Pathikichu. Malayalam music saw repeat listening around Neeye Punchiri (from Lokah), along with Minnalvala and Jaalakaari.

Bollywood stayed steady, indie kept growing

While regional growth defined the year, Hindi film music remained a reliable anchor, registering a 25% increase in time spent listening. Saiyaara emerged as one of the most-played tracks of 2025, followed closely by Tu Hain Toh Main Hoon from Skyforce, reinforcing India’s enduring love for melody-led, emotion-first Bollywood music.

At the same time, indie continued its upward trajectory, growing by 14%. Artists such as Kushagra (Finding Her), Aditya Rikhari (Sahiba) and Anuv Jain (Jo Tum Mere Ho) delivered consistent performance throughout the year, reflecting a widening appetite for independent voices.

Genres widened, not shifted

Genre data revealed a broadening of taste rather than a single dominant trend. Pop emerged as the fastest-growing genre, up 48%, driven largely by Gen Z discovery and repeat listening. Alongside this, devotional and culturally rooted genres continued to deepen their share of listening time, underscoring a return to music with emotional and spiritual resonance.

Catalog consumption told a similar story of balance. While music from the 2020s recorded the strongest growth, older decades remained stable,signalling that nostalgia and novelty are now coexisting, not competing.

Familiar voices still win

Artist trends across 2025 highlighted the power of familiarity. In Hindi, Arijit Singh remained a daily constant for listeners, while Pritam and Alka Yagnik continued to resonate across generations.

Chart-toppers Faheem Abdullah and Tanishk Bagchi, whose Saiyaara dominated the platform, reflected on the milestone. “Knowing that the song is the most listened to on Gaana,where every play comes from a paying listener,makes this recognition even more meaningful,” said Faheem. Tanishk added, “It’s always special when a song connects the way Saiyaara has. I’m grateful to everyone who listened on Gaana this year.”

In Marathi, Sanju Rathod and Sonali Sonawane maintained their winning streak. “Your support is the reason I’m among the most-streamed artists in Marathi year after year,” Sonali shared, promising more music in the year ahead.

Gujarati music continued its strong showing, led by Aditya Gadhvi, who remained the most-listened artist in the category. “Seeing Meetha Khaara and Khalasi travel so far makes me incredibly proud of Gujarati music,” he said.

Across the South, Tamil listening balanced contemporary and classic, with Anirudh Ravichander drawing strong engagement alongside enduring favourites S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and A. R. Rahman. Kannada music stood out this year, with Sonu Nigam emerging as the most-listened artist. “To know I’m the most listened-to artist in Kannada on Gaana pleases me to no end,” he said.

Punjabi music remained anchored by Karan Aujla and Diljit Dosanjh, with Shubh completing the genre’s dominance. Bhojpuri listening patterns stayed consistent, driven by Shilpi Raj, Pawan Singh and Khesarilal Yadav. Haryanvi music continued its ascent as a cultural staple, led by Masoom Sharma, with Ashu Twinkle and Dhanda Nyoliwala adding momentum. Assamese music reflected a blend of deep regional loyalty and wider curiosity, powered by artists such as the late Zubeen Garg, Neel Akash and Deeplina Deka.

Global music still travels

International listening on Gaana remained strong, with Justin Bieber, Alan Walker and Ed Sheeran emerging as the most-streamed English artists,highlighting the continued crossover between Indian audiences and global pop within Gaana’s premium user base.

In 2025, India didn’t just listen more,it listened with intent. And on Gaana, that intent translated into deeper engagement, stronger regional identity and a music culture increasingly driven by choice, not chance.