Best Indian Indie Songs 2018: Shaktimaan, Jeet, Mirza, SHOOK

The best Indian indie songs of 2018 on Apple Music India: Shaktimaan, Gustaakh, Jeet, Mirza, SHOOK, Shaayad and more, with song-level dates.

The best Indian indie songs of 2018 came from everywhere: Delhi rap crews, Hindi rock bands, a rising electronic producer from Mumbai, and singer-songwriters releasing their first singles. This list picks 20 songs from 2018 you can stream on Apple Music India, with the date Apple gives each one.

How we checked. Every date comes from Apple Music India (iTunes catalogue, country IN), checked on 28 October 2026, at song level. That matters: many 2018 songs ended up on albums or EPs dated 2019, and some songs on 2018 albums first came out in 2017. A song is here only if its own Apple date is in 2018. Only released music is covered. For the year after, see the best Indian indie songs of 2019.

Quick answer: 20 of the best Indian indie songs of 2018

Seedhe Maut & Sez on the Beat – "Shaktimaan" (30 August 2018)
Prabh Deep, Seedhe Maut & Sez on the Beat – "Class-Sikh Maut, Vol. II" (27 April 2018)
The Local Train – "Gustaakh" (29 January 2018)
Ritviz – "Jeet" (29 October 2018)
Ritviz – "Barso" (15 November 2018)
Nucleya – "Mirza" feat. Rashmeet Kaur & Raftaar (15 October 2018)
Nucleya – "Lori" feat. Vibha Saraf (22 October 2018)
Sid Sriram – "It Isn't True" (17 October 2018)
Raja Kumari – "SHOOK" (16 November 2018)
DIVINE – "Roots" feat. Raja Kumari (27 July 2018)
Taba Chake – "Shaayad" (25 July 2018)
Swarathma – "Raah E Fakira" (1 October 2018)
Lifafa – "Din Raat" (14 December 2018)
Anuv Jain – "Ocean" (5 January 2018)
When Chai Met Toast – "Khoj (Passing By)" (7 September 2018)
The Yellow Diary – "Marz" (26 April 2018)
Raghav Meattle – "Better Than It All" (25 May 2018)
Bloodywood – "Ari Ari" (30 April 2018)
Dualist Inquiry – "Mayday" (20 April 2018)
Skyharbor – "Dim" (11 May 2018)

The songs

"Shaktimaan" – Seedhe Maut & Sez on the Beat. The first single from Bayaan, released four months ahead of the album. Calm and Encore trade verses over a beat that does not let up. See our Seedhe Maut songs.

"Class-Sikh Maut, Vol. II" – Prabh Deep, Seedhe Maut & Sez on the Beat. The Azadi Records crew on one track: a sequel to "Classsikh Maut" from the 2017 2 Ka Pahada EP. See Prabh Deep songs.

"Gustaakh" – The Local Train. The opener of Vaaqif, and one of three songs from that album dated on its release day. Big, singalong Hindi rock. See The Local Train songs.

"Jeet" and "Barso" – Ritviz. Two singles from late 2018 that later sat on the 2019 Ved EP. "Jeet" in particular became a festival staple. See Ritviz songs.

"Mirza" and "Lori" – Nucleya. Nucleya released the Tota Myna songs one by one in October and November 2018, before the EP was dated March 2019. "Mirza" pairs Rashmeet Kaur with Raftaar; "Lori" brings back Vibha Saraf. See Nucleya songs.

"It Isn't True" – Sid Sriram. Better known for film songs, Sid Sriram released this R&B single in October 2018; it later appeared on his 2019 album Entropy with its 2018 date.

"SHOOK" – Raja Kumari. Dated November 2018, this was the lead song for her 2019 BLOODLINE EP. See Indian women rappers.

"Roots" – DIVINE feat. Raja Kumari. A July 2018 single that pairs the two. DIVINE's other 2018 singles include "Kaam 25" (22 June, from Sacred Games) and "Teesri Manzil" (14 December).

"Shaayad" – Taba Chake. The Arunachal singer-songwriter's 2018 single, later on Bombay Dreams (2019) with its 2018 date intact. See Taba Chake songs.

"Raah E Fakira" – Swarathma. The title song of the band's 2018 album, released two weeks ahead of it.

"Din Raat" – Lifafa. A December 2018 single that later appeared on Jaago. See Lifafa songs and albums.

"Ocean" – Anuv Jain. An early, quiet single from January 2018. See Indian indie singers.

"Khoj (Passing By)" – When Chai Met Toast. The opener of the Believe EP. See When Chai Met Toast songs.

"Marz" – The Yellow Diary. The title song of a three-song release from April 2018. See The Yellow Diary albums.

"Better Than It All" – Raghav Meattle. A May 2018 single, later on Songs From a Matchbox.

"Ari Ari" – Bloodywood. The metal band's take on the Bombay Rockers hit, released in April 2018, when they were still best known for covers and parodies. Their original "Jee Veerey" followed on 18 July 2018.

"Mayday" – Dualist Inquiry. The first of two 2018 singles; "Fever Dream" followed on 4 May. See Dualist Inquiry albums.

"Dim" – Skyharbor. Released in May 2018 ahead of Sunshine Dust.

Also worth hearing from 2018

Yungsta & Frappe Ash – "Ohh No" feat. Seedhe Maut (18 July 2018)
Sandunes – "The Trust" feat. Helen Gillet (7 February 2018)
Madboy/Mink – "Plastic Elastic" feat. Karan Joseph (18 July 2018)
Fiddlecraft – "Main Chala Jaunga" (30 May 2018)
Achint – "Railgaadi" (22 June 2018)
Indian Ocean – "Lohe Ki Ye Naaginiyaa" (30 October 2018). See Indian Ocean songs.
KAVYA – "Underscore" (24 August 2018)
Sanjeeta Bhattacharya – "Natsukashii" (7 June 2018)

Not counted as 2018

"Khudi" and "Aaftaab" by The Local Train are on the 2018 album Vaaqif, but Apple dates them June and November 2017.
Parekh & Singh's "Summer Skin" came out as a single on 30 November 2018, and Apple dates the song itself to April 2018. It belongs to Science City, which was released in 2019, so we leave it for that year.
Ritviz's "Udd Gaye" is dated 27 November 2017.