Key facts

  • Songs: 15 Hindi-language indie tracks released 2015-2026, all on Spotify's Indie India playlist as of 23 October 2026
  • Oldest: Choo Lo and Aaoge Tum Kabhi, The Local Train, Aalas Ka Pedh (25 September 2015)
  • Newest: Halki Halki, Saahel (28 August 2026)
  • Ownership: 8 of 15 recordings carry only the artist's own ℗ line; 7 name a label or licence
  • Most on Indie India: Anuv Jain, six songs on the playlist as of 23 October 2026

The best Hindi indie songs to start with are The Local Train's Choo Lo, Anuv Jain's Baarishein and Jo Tum Mere Ho, Prateek Kuhad's Kasoor and Co2, and newer tracks like Noor and Khan's Aarzu and Navjot Ahuja's Khat. This list mixes 15 songs: proven classics and 2025-26 releases. Every one is on Spotify's Indie India playlist as of 23 October 2026. For each song we give the year, the artist and who owns the recording, based on the ℗ line on Apple Music and Spotify, so you can see which ones are truly self-released and which come through a label.

More facts

  • Songs: 15 Hindi-language indie tracks released between 2015 and 2026
  • Source of the list: every song is on Spotify's Indie India playlist as of 23 October 2026 (75 tracks that day)
  • Oldest: Choo Lo and Aaoge Tum Kabhi by The Local Train, from the album Aalas Ka Pedh (25 September 2015)
  • Newest: Halki Halki by Saahel (28 August 2026)
  • Ownership: eight of the 15 recordings carry only the artist's own ℗ line; the other seven name a label or licence, including Elektra, Universal Music India, Warner Music India, T-Series (Super Cassettes Industries), CollabX Entertainment and Of the Wilderness
  • Most songs by one artist on this list: Anuv Jain, with three

What makes a song a Hindi indie song

In India, "indie" usually means music made outside the Bollywood film-song system. It is written and released by the artist or a small team, not commissioned for a film. That does not always mean self-released. Some of the songs below were licensed to or released by major labels. So for each entry we list who holds the recording, and you can decide where your own line sits.

We built this list from Spotify's Indie India playlist as it stood on 23 October 2026, then picked the Hindi-language songs that have either lasted for years or are clearly defining the scene right now. The playlist changes often, so treat this as a snapshot, not a ranking.

1. Choo Lo, The Local Train (2015)

Choo Lo is one of the best-known songs in Hindi indie rock. It is on Aalas Ka Pedh, The Local Train's debut album, which came out on 25 September 2015. The ℗ line reads "℗ 2015 The Local Train", so the band owns the recording. The Local Train formed in Chandigarh in 2008 and has been based in New Delhi since 2015 (Wikipedia). More than ten years later, Choo Lo is still on Indie India. For the band's full story and lineup changes, read our guide to The Local Train.

2. Aaoge Tum Kabhi, The Local Train (2015)

The second Aalas Ka Pedh track on this list, Aaoge Tum Kabhi, runs 5 minutes 13 seconds. It is a long, slow-building song in a scene that usually favours three-minute singles. It is also self-owned by the band. Raman Negi, the band's vocalist on Aalas Ka Pedh, left in April 2022. The current lineup is Paras Thakur, Ramit Mehra and Sahil Sarin (Wikipedia).

3. Baarishein, Anuv Jain (2018)

Spotify dates Baarishein to 12 January 2018. Like everything Anuv Jain has released, it carries his own ℗ line. Wikipedia describes his style as simple, chorded songs about love and heartbreak, mostly on acoustic guitar or ukulele. Baarishein is the clearest example of that style. Jain, from Ludhiana, has six songs on Indie India as of 23 October 2026, more than any other artist. Our Anuv Jain profile goes through his whole catalogue.

4. Alag Aasmaan, Anuv Jain (2020)

Released on 31 July 2020 and self-owned (℗ 2020 Anuv Jain), Alag Aasmaan is another of the six Anuv Jain songs on Indie India as of 23 October 2026. Six years after release, it is still on the playlist.

5. Jo Tum Mere Ho, Anuv Jain (2024)

Jo Tum Mere Ho came out on 2 August 2024 and is Anuv Jain's newest song on this list. It runs a little over four minutes, and the ℗ line is again his own. Because it is fully self-released, it is one of the clearest proofs that a Hindi indie song can travel without a label behind it.

6. Kasoor, Prateek Kuhad (2020)

Kasoor came out as a single on 30 June 2020. Its ℗ line reads "℗ 2020 Prateek Kuhad". It was the first independently released track in India to reach No. 1 on Apple Music's all-genre chart. Kuhad was born in Jaipur and writes in both Hindi and English (Wikipedia).

7. Co2, Prateek Kuhad (2022)

Co2 is from The Way That Lovers Do, released on 20 May 2022 by Elektra Records, which signed Kuhad in 2020 as its first Indian artist (Wikipedia). It is his most-streamed song on Spotify. Co2 is the label-backed half of the Kuhad story on this list: the same writer, after the major-label deal.

8. Samjho Na, Aditya Rikhari (2022)

Spotify dates Samjho Na to 10 February 2022, and the ℗ line belongs to CollabX Entertainment. Aditya Rikhari is one of the most-represented names on Indie India right now. As of 23 October 2026, five of his songs are on the playlist: Paro (with UNPLG'd), Samjho Na, Raatein Guzaari, Sahiba and Faasle. Samjho Na is the one to start with.

9. Dekha Hi Nahi, Osho Jain (2024)

Dekha Hi Nahi is from Osho Jain's EP Uff, released on 10 October 2024. He owns the recording (℗ 2024 Osho Jain). As of 23 October 2026 it is fourth on Indie India, two years after release, which says a lot about how long a good Hindi indie song can last. Read our profile of Osho Jain for more.

10. Kaahe Mose, Garvit-Priyansh (2025)

Garvit Soni and Priyansh Srivastava released Kaahe Mose on 15 October 2025. The ℗ line belongs to Super Cassettes Industries, the company behind T-Series. It shows a major Indian label releasing a song by two indie artists. As of 23 October 2026 it is ninth on Indie India.

11. Khat, Navjot Ahuja (2025)

Khat came out on 3 December 2025, and the ℗ line reads "℗ 2025 Navjot Ahuja under exclusive license to Warner Music India". In other words, the artist owns the recording and Warner holds an exclusive licence. As of 23 October 2026, Khat is second on Indie India. At almost five minutes, it is one of the longer songs near the top of the playlist.

12. Aarzu, Noor and Khan with Madhurxo (2025)

Aarzu was released on 31 December 2025. It is credited on Spotify to Noor, Khan and Madhurxo, and the ℗ line reads "℗ 2026 Shivam Choraria/Of the Wilderness". As of 23 October 2026 it is No. 1 on Indie India. Noor is the project of producer Shivam Choraria, and Khan is singer-songwriter Yusuf Khan. Our feature on how Noor and Khan made Aarzu tells the full story.

13. Iss Tarah, Chaar Diwaari and Sonu Nigam (2026)

Iss Tarah came out on 9 February 2026 through Universal Music India. It pairs Chaar Diwaari with Sonu Nigam, one of the best-known playback voices in Hindi film music, and runs 5 minutes 23 seconds. As of 23 October 2026 it is 14th on Indie India, and Chaar Diwaari has three songs on the playlist.

14. Aashiqana, Chaar Diwaari, gini and Indian Ocean (2026)

Aashiqana is from the EP Parvana, released on 26 February 2026 by Universal Music India. It brings together Chaar Diwaari, gini and Indian Ocean, the rock band formed in New Delhi in 1990 (Wikipedia). At 6 minutes 44 seconds, it is the longest song on this list. It is a direct link between the new Hindi indie scene and one of its oldest bands.

15. Halki Halki, Saahel (2026)

Halki Halki is the newest song here, released on 28 August 2026 with Saahel's own ℗ line. It runs just under three minutes, and as of 23 October 2026 it is eighth on Indie India. That is a quick climb for a self-released song that is less than two months old.

How to find new Hindi indie songs

Spotify's Indie India playlist is the easiest place to start. On 23 October 2026 it had 75 tracks, most of them in Hindi, with some songs in Malayalam, Tamil and other languages. Check the ℗ line under any song on Spotify or Apple Music. It tells you whether the artist owns the recording or a label does. Our weekly round-up of new Indian indie songs and our features on independent artists also track what is new.

FAQ

What are the best Hindi indie songs?

Good places to start are Choo Lo and Aaoge Tum Kabhi by The Local Train, Baarishein, Alag Aasmaan and Jo Tum Mere Ho by Anuv Jain, and Kasoor and Co2 by Prateek Kuhad. For newer songs, try Aarzu, Khat, Dekha Hi Nahi and Halki Halki. All of these are on Spotify's Indie India playlist as of 23 October 2026.

What are some new Hindi indie songs in 2026?

From 2026: Halki Halki by Saahel (August), Aashiqana by Chaar Diwaari, gini and Indian Ocean (February) and Iss Tarah by Chaar Diwaari and Sonu Nigam (February). Aarzu (31 December 2025) and Khat (December 2025) are the two biggest recent songs on Indie India.

Who are the best Hindi indie artists?

Anuv Jain, Prateek Kuhad, The Local Train, Aditya Rikhari, Osho Jain and Chaar Diwaari all have more than one well-known Hindi song. As of 23 October 2026, Aditya Rikhari has five songs on Spotify's Indie India playlist.

What does indie mean in Hindi songs?

It usually means songs made outside the Bollywood film-song system, written and released by the artists themselves. Some are fully self-released, like Anuv Jain's songs. Others are released or licensed by labels such as Warner Music India, Universal Music India or T-Series.

Sources

Cover photo: Anupama Anand / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Sources

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