Spotify finds festive listening influencing purchase intent in India

MUMBAI: The festive season is turning up the volume on more than music, with Spotify’s latest India listening data suggesting that what consumers hear can also shape how they shop.

According to Spotify, 78 per cent of consumers surveyed say the platform inspires them to buy, while 59 per cent of weekly users in India associate their Spotify experience with happiness and joy. Another 73 per cent say their time on the platform feels more positive than time spent on social media, while 76 per cent say Spotify has a positive impact on their lives.

The findings point to a close connection between listening and consumer behaviour during the festive period. Spotify said nine out of 10 emotions associated with listening on the platform correspond with mindsets consumers experience while shopping for categories such as technology, everyday essentials and festive clothing.

The platform also says Indians spend an average of two hours a day on Spotify, while 86 per cent of listeners surveyed say they mute video content in favour of focused audio, including music and podcasts.

The way people listen also changes as celebrations gather pace. Shared listening across TVs, cars and speakers rises 11 per cent above the August baseline during the festive weeks, reaching 5.24 million weekly content hours.

Party playlist streams increase 34 per cent during the period, while devotional listening rises 13 per cent, reflecting the shift from everyday listening to more occasion-led consumption.

For Spotify, that shared behaviour creates another connection between audio and shopping. Its data shows that 18 per cent of purchase occasions among consumer packaged goods shoppers take place during the same everyday moments when people are listening.

Spotify cited several brand campaigns to illustrate how audio can intersect with purchase consideration. Its Diwali campaign with BigBasket saw 63 per cent of exposed listeners express purchase intent, while top-of-mind awareness increased by 7 per cent.

The platform also highlighted its wedding-season campaign with Mohey, where planned purchase intent reached 66 per cent among exposed audiences.

GIVA’s Rakhi campaign, meanwhile, recorded a 10-point increase in brand recall and a 7-point rise in awareness, according to Spotify.

The company’s Head of Sales for India, Arjun Ravi Kolady, said the festive listening environment extends from personal headphones to televisions, kitchen speakers and cars as families decorate homes, cook together and travel to shops.

That shift towards shared listening is particularly notable during a season when shopping decisions are often made collectively. Spotify said the combination of reach, listening habits and festive context gives brands another environment in which to connect with consumers.

The numbers suggest that the festive soundtrack is no longer confined to setting the mood. For Spotify, it is increasingly becoming part of the wider consumer journey, from the first festive playlist to the final purchase decision.