People are curating and tuning into songs that reflect a wider emotional state of fear, pride, hope, and fatigue amid India Pakistan tension
As the bristles of tension rise between India and Pakistan, news cycles overflow with political rhetoric, military visuals, and Breaking News. However, a quieter yet telling phenomenon is unfolding in the earbuds of citizens— music playlists. Whether it’s old songs or new, music just has a way of touching each one of us differently.
Past and Patriotism
From lo-fi to old patriotic ballads, cinematic anthems, or ambient music, Indians are using music as a digital salve, tuning into their emotions and tuning out of reality. User-generated playlists like “Chill Before the Sirens’’ and “Lo-fi for border anxiety,” listeners seem to build soundscapes that reflect a wider emotional state of fear, pride, hope, and fatigue. “Music becomes our emotional translator,” says Rashi Dutt, a Delhi-based clinical psychologist. “In moments of conflict, people subconsciously gravitate toward soundtracks that mirror or modulate their moods. It’s a coping mechanism—part distraction, part catharsis.”
According to Spotify India’s internal insights (shared during a 2024 trends webinar), there has been a 37% increase in playlist creation related to patriotism, nostalgia, and peace in the two weeks following any major political or military incident. During the recent India-Pakistan standoff, streaming of tracks under the “Desh Bhakti” category reportedly surged by 48%.
Streams Shifts
While traditional media continues to debate over diplomatic statements, platforms like Spotify, Amazon music, JioSaavn, Apple Music and Ganna, offer a moment to breathe between the chaos. With the algorithm-driven barometer of the public mood, A Mumbai-based data analyst, Aman Kohli, states, “It’s not just about pumping yourself up — it’s also about calming yourself down.”
Many AI algorithms are quick to catch on to the “Made For You’’ playlists. The algorithm reportedly increases the inclusion of calming and acoustic tracks in a user’s feed by 30% when it detects a pattern of anxious or solemn listening behaviour. “My dad used to hum Kar Chale Hum Fida while watching the news. I found it on Spotify last week and felt emotional listening to it,” shares Kritika Mehra (21). “It felt like a strange, beautiful link between generations.”
Meanwhile, Gen-Z listeners hang on to their own created playlists, and many users are tuning into ambient soundscapes and chill mixes. Spotify data shows that lo-fi playlists tagged with “calm” or “peace” saw a 51% rise in streams during conflict weeks. “Sometimes
I just need something neutral—something that lets me breathe,” says Richelle Fernandes, a student who follows a curated playlist called ‘soft beats for hard times’. “Lo-fi, jazz, even ambient rain sounds—it helps switch off from the noise, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.”
Mood, Memory, Music
Many listeners, especially younger ones, say they prefer playlists that slow things down: soft lo-fi beats, gentle jazz, Indian classical, and acoustic folk. These aren’t war songs—they’re survival sounds. Across metros and small towns alike, this emotional tuning is playing out quietly but consistently. Listeners are turning to familiar songs not for entertainment, but for emotional grounding. An old Republic Day track. A film score from a war drama. Even ambient rain sounds. It’s not always about patriotism. Sometimes, it’s just about peace.
During past crises, surges in patriotic music weren’t a common thing, but now the reasons for listening have become more layered. It’s not about pride or defiance but more about soothing fear and fighting helplessness.
A 2024 study by the Indian Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences found that 67% of respondents turn to music during times of political or national stress. For those under 25, the number jumps to 81%, revealing how deeply personal listening habits have become.
This shift suggests that music is more than a backdrop—it's an emotional ritual. Whether it’s through a decades-old anthem or a freshly discovered lo-fi mix, the act of pressing play has become a small rebellion against fear, fatigue, and the deafening roar of conflict. Because sometimes, what words can’t say, a song already knows.
