Audio streaming platforms have long competed on the breadth of their music catalogues. Now, as subscription prices rise and free tiers become less generous, the next battleground is shifting beyond music catalogues to product experience and exclusive content.
With services such as Spotify and Amazon Music either raising prices or introducing ads to previously ad-free experiences, industry executives say differentiation will increasingly come from exclusive intellectual property (IP), podcasts, creator ecosystems, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered discovery and a more personalized product experience.
Music catalogues are largely licensed and therefore similar across platforms, leaving limited room for differentiation.
The shift comes as the paid streaming market expands. India's paid audio streaming subscriber base grew 37% year-on-year to 14 million in 2025, according to a March Ficci-EY report. The report estimates that figure could double to 28-30 million by 2028, driven by continued efforts to make free products less frictionless, introduce aspirational paid features and improve customer experience.
Last year, Spotify raised prices by 28% across plans—its first increase since entering India in 2019. This June, Amazon Music India, which was previously bundled with Amazon Prime alongside video and shopping benefits, introduced a three-tier pricing structure. Its premium tier offers HD and Ultra HD audio, Dolby Atmos sound and offline downloads.
Annual investments by some of these services can touch ₹300-400 crore in India, according to music industry experts and streaming platform executives.
Beyond music
"As the business of streaming grows, competitive advantage will increasingly come from the overall user experience. Areas such as personalization, audio quality, seamless cross-device integration and flexible pricing will become imperative," said Rishabh Gupta, country head, Amazon Music India.
Services that naturally blend into consumers' daily lives, while enabling deeper discovery and stronger artist-fan connections, will stand out. In markets like India, regional content, cultural relevance and localized experiences will be critical drivers of long-term growth and differentiation, Gupta added.
Amazon Music India is strengthening editorial intellectual properties (IPs) that include shoulder content—two- to 20-minute videos exploring themes such as what may be going on in an artiste's mind before stepping onto a concert stage. Alongside hosting podcasts, it is also pursuing selective exclusive and early-access deals and streaming on-ground events.
"We are also seeing growing consumer appetite for podcasts, live streams and artist-led formats, reinforcing the evolution of streaming into an all-audio entertainment service," Gupta added.
Podcasts are becoming one of the clearest examples of that push.
Amit Doshi, head, IVM Podcasts-Pratilipi, said while most platforms still rely on mirror deals that allow near-simultaneous releases, many are increasingly pursuing licensing arrangements for early releases, platform-exclusive shows or longer-format content.
"Music catalogues need no critical thought and will bring consumption but there is no lack of awareness on the need for differentiation," Doshi added.
Foreign streaming services have already begun experimenting beyond music libraries. Spotify, for instance, regularly hosts on-ground events for premium users, including release anniversaries of films such as Lagaan and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge featuring actors and musicians.
Discovery wins
As content libraries continue to expand, discovery is becoming an increasingly important challenge. Industry executives say platforms that can help users quickly find relevant content through AI-powered recommendations, personalization and intuitive user experiences will have a meaningful edge.
Rohith Sobti, curator and co-founder of The Shakti Collective, an artist-first cultural house building a structured ecosystem for music, storytelling and cultural IP, said the industry is entering a phase where access is no longer the differentiator.
Almost every major platform offers access to the same music catalogue, so the real differentiator becomes discovery, personalization, and cultural relevance.
"The platforms that will stand out are the ones that understand their users better. It's not about having more content; it's about helping people find the right content at the right time. Whether that's through smarter recommendations, stronger regional curation, mood-based listening, or creating a more intuitive listening experience, the focus has to shift from content abundance to content relevance. At the end of the day, users don't subscribe to libraries, they subscribe to experiences," Sobti said.
AI is accelerating that shift by enabling faster content production, localisation, voice technologies and personalised user experiences at scale, according to Akansha Kumari, senior vice-president and head of consumer product, Pocket FM.
"These innovations allow platforms to serve diverse audiences while improving both quality and efficiency," Kumari said. Consumers today expect platforms not only to provide content but also to help them discover the right content at the right time, she added. Recommendation systems, personalized journeys and exclusive storytelling are becoming as important as the catalogue itself.
Industry executives say the shift mirrors the evolution of video streaming, where licensed libraries gradually gave way to originals and product-led differentiation.
"Platforms that combine compelling content with superior discovery and engagement experiences will be better positioned to build habit, loyalty and long-term subscriber value," Kumari said. "Ultimately, the winning audio platforms will be those that combine exclusive IP with strong product experiences. Content may bring users in, but personalization, discovery, engagement and seamless experiences are what keep them coming back," she added.