Visualise this: You put on your trainers and go for a walk in the park, or cardio at the gym. What keeps you going till the end? Often, music.
Music and exercise have a long-term association. Whether you are lifting weights or pacing your steps on the treadmill, the right beats can make even the most difficult workout fun. Spotify data also revealed that the number of workout playlists created by local listeners on the platform grew a whopping 192% between early 2020 till early this year.
Key listening trends emerged from platform’s data (September 2022-2023)
Wednesdays and Fridays are for fitness: Forget about "Monday motivation". The highest volume of workout music streams isn’t on the first day of the week, but mid-week onward. According to Spotify's data, the most number of music streams associated with working out take place on Wednesdays and Fridays. 7 am - 8 am and 6 pm - 8 pm are the most popular time slots for this activity.
The Gen Z energy: The real MVPs of bringing music and fitness together are those from GenZ (18-24-year-olds), contributing more than half of all workout music streams in India.
There’s a playlist for that: Listeners on Spotify are seeking music for various types of workouts, including gym sessions, running, cardio exercises, cycling, brisk walking, strength training, yoga sessions, and even while playing football.
It’s the beats, not the language: There is a clear affinity for workout playlists in local languages. Playlists such as Kollywood Workout, Telugu Workout, Haryanvi Workout, Workout Hits, Marathi Workout, and Workout Bhangra emerge at the top of this list.
Lyrics that motivate: The most streamed songs associated with workout as a genre on Spotify in India include ‘Zinda’, ‘Kar Har Maidaan Fateh’ (From "Sanju"), ‘Unstoppable’, ‘Brothers Anthem’, ‘Sultan’ and ‘Believer’ are the most streamed workout songs. Anirudh Ravichander, Sukhwinder Singh, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, and Sidhu Moose Wala are the top artists associated with workout music for Spotify listeners in the market. International artists such as Imagine Dragons, and Eminem also made it to the list.
Wondering what you should be listening to while sweating it out on the mat? Head to Spotify, search for ‘workout mix’, and choose from a list of playlists curated just for you.
The brand recently hosted ‘Sweat Hours’, an on-ground experience that brought celebrity fitness trainers Anshuka and Shivoham to Delhi for workout sessions with Spotify Premium users.
