Tag: India trends

Karan Aujla and Ikky Talk Turning Punjabi Beats Into Global Hits

October 9, 2025

From its vibrant Indian origin to playlists spanning the globe, Punjabi music is having a moment. Today in India, it stands among the most-streamed music languages on Spotify, alongside Hindi and English. But its reach extends beyond borders, captivating fans worldwide with its high-energy beats and unmistakable vibes.

One of the artists at the forefront of this movement is Karan Aujla. His latest album, P-POP CULTURE, made an immediate impact, rocketing to No. 1 on Spotify India’s Weekly Top Albums charts its debut week. That same week, both the album and artist broke into Spotify’s global Top 100—the album reaching No. 60, and Karan hitting No. 82. Since its August release, P-POP CULTURE has amassed nearly 200 million streams, with the single “MF Gabhru!” racking up an impressive 38 million.

Fresh off the buzz of his new album, Karan was a natural choice for the cover of Punjabi 101, Spotify’s flagship playlist for the genre. Fans went wild, and streams of the playlist jumped by 21% during his week in the spotlight. Over the past year, Punjabi 101 has featured a wider range of emerging artists, reflecting Spotify’s commitment to spotlighting both established and rising Punjabi voices.

While most of Karan’s fans are in India, where he ranks among the top 10 most popular artists on Spotify, his reach is global. From his current home in Canada to the UK, Pakistan, the US, Australia, and the UAE, he’s cultivated an audience of more than 21 million followers to date.

But like most artists, Karan isn’t crafting these hits alone. Canadian Punjabi musician and producer Ikky has been right by his side, producing both P-POP CULTURE and Karan’s 2023 album, Making Memories. Ikky himself is one of the biggest names in Punjabi music today, having collaborated with popular Punjabi artists like Diljit Dosanjh, Sidhu Moose Wala, and Shubh.

For the Record recently caught up with Karan and Ikky to delve into the global rise of Punjabi music, the creative process behind P-POP CULTURE, and their exciting vision for the genre’s future. 

Your album, P-POP CULTURE, has clearly amplified Punjabi music’s global moment. What do you think is fueling this worldwide excitement for the genre?

Karan Aujla: It’s the energy and emotion. Punjabi music tells real stories about love, struggle, and ambition. People feel that no matter where they’re from.

Ikky: And sonically, we’re blending traditional sounds with global influences—hip-hop, R&B, dancehall. That fusion makes it relatable worldwide.

How do you stay rooted in Punjabi culture while making music that feels fresh?

Karan: I stay true to my roots lyrically, but I experiment with global sounds. That mix keeps it authentic and current.

Ikky, you’re a leading voice for Punjabi music in Canada. How has your upbringing shaped your sound?

Ikky: Growing up in Toronto, I was exposed to Punjabi music at home and hip-hop and R&B on the streets. That blend naturally comes through in my production.

Are there any countries or cities where the response to Punjabi music has surprised you?

Karan: For sure. It’s amazing to see packed shows in places like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. The fans there go hard.

Ikky: Same here. It’s crazy to see people singing along word for word in cities we never expected. The reach is unreal.

Karan, a significant portion of your fan base on Spotify is under 35. Why do you think your music resonates so strongly with Gen Z and millennials?

Karan: I keep it real. Young people today want honesty, and I talk about things they’re living; the hustle, love, and pain. And I’m always evolving that sound.

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for Punjabi music globally?

Ikky: I want to see it treated like any other global genre on the biggest stages and in major collabs. We’re just getting started.

 Ready to dive into the world of Punjabi beats? Stream P-POP CULTURE on Spotify.

Punjabi Music Gains Worldwide Recognition

April 26, 2023

Punjabi Feature Header

Punjabi music is enjoying a remarkable rise in popularity—and not just with listeners in India, but also among the diaspora and broader global audiences. Of the 10 most-streamed songs in India in 2022, four were in Punjabi, with “Excuses” by AP Dhillon, Intense, and Gurinder Gill taking the top spot as the most-streamed song and Moosetape, by the late Sidhu Moose Wala, nabbing the spot for the most-streamed album. Outside of India, Punjabi artists have been lighting up the stage at some of the world’s top events, representing the community and the demand for this music beyond the home country.

“Today Punjabi is one of the most-streamed music languages on Spotify in India, with playlists such as Punjabi 101 and Hot Hits Punjabi emerging as the go-to destinations for listeners to discover the best and biggest hits,” says Rahul Balyan, Spotify’s Head of Music for India. “The global recognition for Punjabi artists is evident with moments like Diljit Dosanjh’s recent gig at Coachella, a first for any Punjabi artist, and AP Dhillon’s performance at the Juno Awards in Canada earlier this year.” 

Recently, Spotify partnered with music labels in India to launch three new Spotify Singles: “Maan Punjabi” by Tarsem Jassar, “Raanjha” by Nimrat Khaira, and “Challa” by Gurdas Maan and Diljit Dosanjh. These tracks highlight the true breadth of Punjabi music’s folk roots and traditional sound mixed with the modern, global elements that have put the scene on the world’s must-listen list.

Speaking to the adoption of these international sounds in Punjabi music, Nimrat Khaira, one of India’s most popular singers, tells For the Record, “The Punjabi music industry is inspiring the world, and the world’s music, in turn, is inspiring us. Our music is an amalgamation of hip-hop, pop, rock, and classical, so it truly is made up of a global sound.” She adds, “We commonly use piano and guitar in Punjabi music, which makes the music familiar to the global audience. These two instruments are now becoming an imperative part of the Punjabi music industry.”

The growing popularity of Punjabi pop around the world has also led to some of its elements making their way into international music. “Punjabi music is influencing international beat patterns by reintroducing Punjabi beats based on instruments such as the dhol, sitar, and flute, and percussion instruments—like the tabla,” says Indo-Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter Karan Aujla. “It’s fascinating to see our community and all our hard work expand so much.” 

“Punjabi music is influencing music today by connecting with people that are hungry for art,” says Ikky, a Canadian music producer who has worked with some of the biggest Punjabi artists in the world today, including Diljit Dosanjh and Shubh. “Punjabi people tend to support their own, and I think the music industry picks up on that.”

This growth is only set to continue, these artists believe. “Punjabi music is in a position like never before,” says Nimrat Khaira. “Millions of people are listening to it, humming it, and dancing to it. The entire credit goes to the artists and their teams who have been making some Earth-shattering content that is blowing up the international market. From here I just know there’s no looking back.” B Praak, an Indian singer, composer, music director, and producer, says, “We are present in almost all the continents now. Our aim is to present Punjabi music at the Oscars soon!”

If you’re beginning your journey into Punjabi music, Karan Aujla recommends the track “Gangsta,” which he made with YG, “to further recognize the melodies and rhyme patterns of Punjabi hip-hop songs.” B Praak, whose favorite genre is sad romantic, recommends starting with his track “Mann Bharrya.” And Ikky, who enjoys Punjabi pop, suggests “Summer High” by AP Dhillon.

Listen to the latest trending tracks in Punjabi with our Punjabi 101 playlist

New Insights Reveal Podcast Patterns in India

December 8, 2020

In this 24/7 world, people often feel stretched for time. How do you balance your schedule with the things you want to do and what’s necessary? To gain a better understanding of how people are spending their days, Spotify conducted a survey with YouGov* in India. 

The November 2020 survey findings revealed that 46% of the respondents felt that they have only a bit of time, or none at all, to do the things they liked. And nearly two-thirds of the respondents wished they had more time for activities like general entertainment, relaxation, or learning new things.

Podcast listening is growing in India, and this medium is a great way for listeners to discover the enriching and entertaining content they want. Whether in the car, cooking, exercising, or doing household chores, with podcasts there’s an opportunity also to use that time to listen to a riveting story, catch up on the news, get in a laugh, or learn something new. Here are a few other things we learned in the survey:

With these survey results in mind, we set out to see which shows Indian listeners were most drawn to on Spotify in 2020. Our annual Wrapped campaign, which looks at what listeners have been enjoying over the past year, shows that the country’s podcast listening trends align closely with the YouGov survey results: Indians prefer inspiring content that teaches them something new. Take a look at some other listening trends we saw on Spotify in India:  

While Spotify has been present in India since 2019, some of our listeners explored their first podcast this year. For this group, the most popular genres were Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Lifestyle & Health. Not sure where to start? Try our top Spotify Original Podcast in India, Maha Bharat with Dhruv Rathee. 

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Singapore Pte Ltd. Total sample size was 1,035 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken in November 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Indian adults (aged 18+) nationally.