Safety, work-life balance, and better representation key to growth of women in India’s music industry: Spotify research

In September this year, Spotify commissioned research to better understand the challenges faced by women in India’s music ecosystem, and to identify possible steps to address these challenges.

The study, conducted by YouGov, surveyed over 1000 respondents from across the country, including both quantitative and qualitative interviews. Respondents were predominantly women (70%), in the age groups of millennials and Gen Z, and occupying several roles across the music industry - including singers, songwriters, composers, DJs, producers, technical roles such as sound engineers, employees from music labels and event companies, and more.

The findings offer a snapshot of both progress and persistent gaps in how women navigate the industry today.

The study uncovered three main findings:

● Safety remains the top concern for women in music, with more than half identifying it among the most urgent challenges to address.

● Leadership and mentorship opportunities are limited, affecting women’s growth and visibility across roles.

● Work-life balance and family support continue to be key barriers, influencing women’s ability to sustain long-term careers.

More than 56% of women surveyed listed safe and inclusive work environments among their top five challenges, ahead of work-life balance and family support and representation and freedom of expression (both 52%). Over a third (36%) reported personally facing unsafe or non-inclusive workplaces, showing that concerns extend beyond perception into lived experience.

When asked about perceived growth opportunities within the industry, women in technical fields - such as sound engineering and production - responded with the lowest percentage of “excellent” at 31%. Many linked this to a lack of mentorship, limited leadership representation, and persistent stereotypes about women in technical roles. In comparison, 50% of all women surveyed - across other roles - believed their perceived growth opportunities to be excellent.

The absence of mentorship also emerged as a key thread across the research, with nearly 40% of female respondents saying they had faced issues due to the absence of peer or mentorship support. 39% also cited being given limited leadership and decision-making opportunities. A majority (61%) pointed to greater visibility and leadership representation as key to improving career growth, calling for more women in decision-making roles and recognition for their work across genres and technical spaces.

Work-life balance and family support also emerged as crucial factors influencing women’s participation in the industry. 52% ranked these among their top concerns, while 33% highlighted the need for stronger family and community support to help women pursue sustained careers in music.

“The findings of this study reaffirm that safety, visibility, and inclusion remain central to creating an equitable music industry,” said Dhruvank Vaidya, Head of Music and Podcast, Spotify India. “At Spotify, we’ve been working toward this through initiatives like EQUAL, which celebrates women artists and amplifies their voices globally, as well as by collaborating with partners and communities to build safer and more inclusive creative spaces. Continued dialogue and concrete, on-going action are key to making long-term change.”

The research also identified possible measures that can positively impact women’s representation and growth in the music industry:

● Creating safe spaces and communities that foster dialogue, feedback, and collaboration.

● Increasing leadership visibility and representation for women across creative, production, and decision-making roles.

● Providing mentorship and peer networks to support women at all stages of their careers.

● Enabling better work-life balance and family support structures to ensure long-term participation.

While more than half of the respondents identified safety as the most urgent need of the hour, close to a third also agreed on how brands and platforms could initially address this. 31% of all respondents - female and male - said brands and platforms could best support women by creating safe spaces and community networks for feedback and collaboration.

Earlier this week, Spotify hosted its first EQUAL event in India, bringing together women from across the music industry, including artists, labels, music entrepreneurs, and more. EQUAL is Spotify’s global initiative to fuel equality in the music industry. In India, the EQUAL program aims to provide greater support to women in the music industry through playlisting, marketing support, mentorship, and on-ground networking opportunities.