The Rise of I-pop: What 2026 Holds For Indian Pop
- Nandini Iyengar
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
For several decades, India’s popular music industry revolved around film soundtracks, solo playback stars, and independent singer‑songwriters. But over the past three years, something distinctly different has been taking shape in the mainstream music scene. After the rising popularity of bands like Parikrama, Pentagram, Agnee, and Indian Ocean, Indian pop—or “I‑pop”—has now evolved into a carefully developed ecosystem with global‑facing branding strategies.
Groups like W.i.S.H. and OutStation are no longer positioned as one‑off acts. Instead, they are presented as long‑term cultural brands, backed by management deals, global ambitions, and PR strategies that mirror the playbooks of international pop industries. Alongside these popular acts, newer entrants like First5 suggest that a strong model for Indian pop groups may finally be emerging.
At the same time, North East India, a region long considered one of India’s most musically rich yet underrepresented regions, is beginning to be recognized as a crucial feeder system for this emerging pop ecosystem.
A Market Ready for Pop Groups
Industry data suggests the Indian music market is undergoing a structural transformation, driven largely by digital consumption and streaming growth. Companies like Sony Music and Universal India are also actively advancing Indian music. Another example is HYBE recently setting up an office in Mumbai, India, speaking volumes about the future of global reach for the Indian music scene. (It is also rumoured that JYP Entertainment is planning to set up an office in India soon!)
According to a 2025 ecosystem survey by The Dialogue, India now generates over 460 million daily audio streams, with the music industry projected to reach ₹3,700 crore in revenue by 2026. This figure signals both scale and sustainability for artist‑led intellectual property beyond film music.
Macro media reports from EY also point to a shift in revenue mix toward digital platforms, subscriptions, and brand partnerships, creating an environment where pop acts can be developed as long‑term assets rather than single‑release performers.
Leading media publications like Elle India and Vogue have tied this growth directly to the increasing visibility of non‑film pop in streaming charts and social media trends, framing I‑pop as a “moment” driven by younger audiences who consume music as part of an identity shaped by sound and visuals.
W.i.S.H.: An Indian Female Pop Group for a Global Stage
When W.i.S.H. debuted in early 2024, it marked the first female pop group from India in 22 years. Rolling Stone India introduced the group not just as a band, but as a “pop project,” referring to the long‑term concept built around image, choreography, sound, and storytelling.
Unlike traditional indie launches, the group’s PR strategy leaned heavily into crafting a personable image. Vogue India highlighted the group’s strategy, focusing on their individual personalities, fashion, and digital-first presence, positioning them as lifestyle figures as much as musicians.
The Print took this further, explicitly casting W.i.S.H. as potential “I‑pop ambassadors” in a market long dominated by K‑pop and Western pop aesthetics. The article framed their debut as part of a broader attempt to define what “Indian pop culture” could look like on a global stage.
By 2025, the narrative had shifted from debut to scale. In an extensive interview with India Today, the group discussed international ambitions, industry limitations in India, and the challenge of building a touring and fan economy without the infrastructure seen in markets like South Korea or Japan.
A major business milestone came later that year, when reports surfaced that W.i.S.H. had signed a worldwide management and bookings deal, signaling a shift in the Indian pop music scene toward global touring, festival circuits, and international brand partnerships.
OutStation: From Bootcamp to Big Stage Presence
If W.i.S.H. represents a media‑forward pop strategy, OutStation reflects a more institutional, “idol‑group” development model.
Mediabrief first reported on the group’s formation through structured partnerships aimed at creating a globally competitive Indian boy band, highlighting the industry’s growing interest in formal training, image curation, and long‑term artist development.
The group’s bootcamp‑style selection and training process emphasized choreography, performance discipline, and branding—an approach that closely mirrors Asian pop strategies rather than traditional Indian band culture.
By late 2025, OutStation’s narrative reached a major validation point. Forbes knighted the group as “India’s band for Indian youth,” focusing on their ambition to create fandom‑driven success rather than one-time viral hits.
One of their most visible PR wins came when OutStation opened for Akon, positioning them in front of international audiences and signaling industry confidence in their mainstream potential.
Interviews with leading publications reinforced this momentum, with the group describing the experience of performing at scale and the “unreal” feeling of seeing their fan base form in real time.
The Next Wave with First5 and What This Means for the Indian Music Industry
What makes the current I‑pop moment notable is that it no longer revolves around just one or two headline acts. Taking inspiration from the yesteryear acts and infusing it with modern influences, the emerging Indian music scene has set the stage for young voices and bright ideas. Another name in this emerging list is First5, a group with their creator-driven discovery process.
Rolling Stone India’s coverage of First5 in late 2024 framed them as a “next‑gen” pop group. Trend‑focused outlets like The Nod Mag have connected W.i.S.H., OutStation, and First5 into a broader thesis that “the band era is back” in India. Except this time, it is powered by streaming data, brand deals, global touring ambitions, and fandom culture.
Industry analysts increasingly view this shift as more than a stylistic trend. For India, this could signal the early stages of a fan economy similar to those seen in Korea and Japan, where music, fashion, live events, and digital content converge into multi‑revenue ecosystems.
The emergence of structured management deals, international bookings, bootcamp‑style training, and regional talent pipelines suggests that I‑pop is moving from experimentation into institution‑building. What began as a handful of high‑profile debuts in India is starting to resemble a system.
With streaming numbers climbing, industry revenue projected to grow, and international attention slowly increasing, I‑pop appears to be transitioning a cultural moment into a long‑term movement, one that could redefine how India produces, markets, and exports its popular music in the years ahead.
North East India: The Quiet Engine of India’s Pop Future
While Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru remain India’s commercial and economic centers, cities like Mizoram and Shillong have increasingly emerged as the country’s most culturally influential music regions. North East India is particularly pivotal in shaping how group‑based pop and youth‑driven fandom cultures are taking form.
Two acts often cited in conversations around the region’s modern pop movement are The Trend and Gilithigreams, both of which reflect how North Eastern groups blend strong performance culture with community‑rooted fan engagement.
Together, these groups illustrate why the North East is increasingly seen as both a talent pool and a proving ground for global-level acts. The region’s emphasis on live performance, tight‑knit fan communities, and stylistic experimentation aligns closely with the broader I‑pop push toward fandom‑building rather than one‑off virality.
As structured pop projects expand nationally, industry observers suggest that this kind of regional ecosystem could play a role similar to feeder hubs in more established pop markets—helping shape artists who are performance‑ready, culturally distinct, and adaptable to both domestic and international audiences.
What do you think of I-pop's growing presence? Are you already a fan of I-pop? Tell us in the comments or connect with us over Instagram or X.
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Edited by Michelle Leung