Why Spotify is spotlighting Korean indie, rock

Spotify is turning its attention to Korean indie and rock, two genres that recorded striking growth in the platform’s annual report, “2025 Wrapped,” despite K-pop’s continued dominance in the local music market.

According to the global audio streaming platform’s year-end data released on Dec. 4, streams of K-indie rose 68 percent worldwide from a year earlier, while K-rock jumped 16 percent. The surge reflects a widening international interest in Korean music beyond K-pop and a maturing domestic scene where indie and rock artists maintain strong momentum.

The company formally categorized K-indie and K-rock as stand-alone genres in Korea this year, reflecting their consistent engagement and broader global reach.

Day6, Car, the Garden lead charts

Wrapped data shows that Korean indie and rock acts continued to build influence among global listeners.

Day6, a rock band formed by JYP Entertainment, dominated the global K-rock chart, claiming the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 spots, while Car, the Garden topped the global K-indie chart. Rising musician Hanroro also ranked high at No. 4 and No. 5 on the global indie chart, underscoring her breakout year.

Domestic streaming trends mirrored this momentum. Day6 was the most-streamed K-indie and K-rock act in Korea this year, followed by The Black Skirts, Bol4, Hanroro and 10cm — reaffirming the genre’s enduring popularity among local fans.

On the song chart, Damons Year’s “Yours” was the most-streamed K-indie and K-rock track of the year in Korea. Day6 followed with “Happy” at No. 2, while Car, the Garden’s “Closely Far Away” took No. 3. Day6 also occupied the No. 4 and No. 5 spots with “Time of Our Life” and “You Were Beautiful.”

Expanding once-niche ecosystem

Spotify says the trend aligns with its broader push to expand Korea’s musical diversity and strengthen discovery for non-mainstream acts — an effort the company has intensified since last year.

Throughout 2025, Spotify used programs such as “Fresh Finds” and “Radar,” along with enhanced editorial curation, to amplify indie and rock musicians to audiences at home and abroad. Radar Korea spotlighted Hanroro as one of the year’s key emerging artists, introducing her music to new global listeners.

Partnerships within Korea also deepened. A collaboration with the CJ Cultural Foundation led to “Tune Up Meets Fresh Finds,” launched in August. The project combines Spotify’s global Fresh Finds initiative with CJ’s long-running Tune Up program to offer indie artists more concrete growth opportunities. Acts including “Jisokury Club,” “Can’t Be Blue” and New Zealand band “There’s a Tuesday” performed at the first joint showcase, delivering distinctive live stages and encouraging creative exchange.

Spotify also hosted two Speakeasy Live events — secret-bar-style showcases that invite select fans through a lottery system — to strengthen artist-fan interaction. Silica Gel premiered a new track during the July session in Seongsu, Seoul, while Day6 marked its 10th anniversary in September with a 350-seat special performance that allowed fans to experience items inspired by tracks from its fourth full-length album, “The Decade.”

Spotify’s flagship three-day event, Spotify House Seoul, held in November, continued this momentum. After two nights featuring global, K-pop and hip-hop lineups, the final evening was dedicated to indie and rock, bringing together Jang Kiha, Car, the Garden, Hanroro and Lee Seung-yoon for a rare showcase of Korea’s diverse indie-rock scene.