iWorld
India’s top tracks and artists shine at JioSaavn Awards 2026
Streaming favourites from every region and language celebrated in India Superhits Awards
MUMBAI: JioSaavn has unveiled the winners of its second India Superhits Awards, celebrating the songs and artists that ruled India’s playlists in 2025. Based entirely on streams and listener engagement, the awards reveal what the country really tuned in to over the past year.
Spanning 10 languages: Hindi, English, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, Marathi and Bengali, the awards honour performers and creators in five key categories: most streamed song, female artist, male artist, lyricist and composer. The result is a snapshot of India’s listening habits, highlighting both mega-hits and the talents behind them.
Speaking about the awards, a JioSaavn spokesperson said, “We are thrilled to celebrate India’s favourite artists. Their streams reflect the music that resonates with listeners across the country.”
Hindi film music continued to dominate, with Saiyaara taking the crown for most streamed song. Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal stayed at the top of their game, while Tanishk Bagchi and Irshad Kamil were recognised for their creative contributions.
Shreya Ghoshal, who won most streamed female artist in both Hindi and Bengali, said, “I am extremely happy to start the year on such a high. These awards reflect how much India and my fans love my music.”
Tanishk Bagchi, most streamed composer in Hindi, added, “These awards genuinely show what India is listening to today.” Meanwhile, Mohit Suri, whose Saiyaara won song of the year in Hindi, remarked, “I am grateful to see the audience connect so deeply with this music. Thank you to India and JioSaavn for the love.”
Regional music also made waves. Bhojpuri and Marathi hits like Dilwa Le Ja Rumal Me and Shaky captured loyal audiences, while Southern music saw strong cross-cultural appeal with composers like Jakes Bejoy and singers such as Sid Sriram ranking among the most streamed nationally. Bengali music continued its steady climb, with Anupam Roy dominating both lyricist and composer categories.
Anupam Roy, who won back-to-back awards in Bengali, said, “I am ecstatic. This is a truly transparent and democratic award, based purely on the love of music fans.”
The second edition of the India Superhits Awards offers a comprehensive view of the songs and voices that defined India’s listening year. From chart-topping tracks to creative brilliance behind the scenes, the awards capture the full soundtrack of 2025.
Key winners by language:
Hindi: Most streamed song – Saiyaara; female artist – Shreya Ghoshal; male artist – Arijit Singh; composer – Tanishk Bagchi; lyricist – Irshad Kamil
English: Most streamed song – Sapphire; female artist – Jennie; male artist – Ed Sheeran
Punjabi: Most streamed song – Supreme; female artist – Kiran Bajwa; male artist – Shubh; composer – Shubh; lyricist – Shubh
Tamil: Most streamed song – Powerhouse; female artist – Sublahshini; male artist – Anirudh Ravichander; composer – Anirudh Ravichander; lyricist – Vishnu Edavan
Telugu: Most streamed song – Ranu Bombai ki Ranu; male artist – Anirudh Ravichander; composer – Thaman S.; lyricist – Krishna Kanth
Kannada: Most streamed song – Mungaru Maleyalli; female artist – Lahari Mahesh; male artist – Sid Sriram; composer – B. Ajaneesh Loknath; lyricist – Nagarjun Sharma
Malayalam: Most streamed song – Minnalvala; female artist – Sithara; male artist – Sid Sriram; composer – Jakes Bejoy; lyricist – Kaithapram
Bhojpuri: Most streamed song – Dilwa Le Ja Rumal Me; female artist – Krishnakumar; male artist – Pawan Singh; composer & lyricist – Sanju Rathod
Marathi: Most streamed song – Shaky; female artist – Shilpi Raj; male artist – Sanju Rathod
Bengali: Most streamed song – Gane Gane; female artist – Sonali Sonawane; male artist – Arijit Singh; composer & lyricist – Anupam Roy
India Superhits Awards 2026 proves that streaming is shaping the soundtrack of the nation. From chart-toppers to creative geniuses behind the scenes, India’s music scene has never sounded brighter.
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
