The S.S. Rajamouli-directed film RRR‘s decorated song witnessed a major spike in Spotify streams on the heels of the 2023 Academy Awards.
Fresh off its Oscar win for Best Original Song, action drama RRR’s “Naatu Naatu” witnessed a 960% week-over-week increase in streaming volume in the United States on Spotify.
The Telugu-language song, composed by M. M. Keeravaani and Chandrabose, is reveling in historic fanfare as it is the first song from an Indian film to win in the Best Original Song category. In his acceptance speech, Keeravaani thanked the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science with a lyrical nod to The Carpenters.
“There was only one wish on my mind / so was my family’s / RRR has to win the pride of every Indian / and must put me at the top of the world,” Keeravaani crooned to the tune of “Top of The World.”
The exhilarating smash hit from the global blockbuster graced the stage last night as a part of the ceremony’s performances, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. Rahul Sipligunj and Kala Bhairava, who performed the adrenaline-pumping song, both received respective boosts of over 520% and 540% in overall US Spotify streaming compared to the previous week, while Keeravani enjoyed a spike upwards of 390%.
Collectively, the song’s stateside recognition is a testament to its cross-cultural popularity. “Naatu Naatu” ultimately triumphed over star contenders like Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick) and Rihanna (“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever); Mitski (“This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once); and the Diane Warren-penned “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman.
In January, the song made history as the first piece of Indian origin to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, once again besting several English-language tunes. Later that month, it won the Critics’ Choice award for Best Song, while the movie itself won Best Foreign Language Film.
Other Post-Oscars US Spotify Streaming Trends
- Streams for Son Lux’s soundtrack for Everything Everywhere All at Once, a Best Original Score nominee, were up over 220% week-over-week
- Best Original Song nominee “This Is A Life,” also penned by Lux for Everything Everywhere, was up over 330%
- Volker Bertelmann’s score for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which won the Best Original Score Oscar Sunday night, was up over 500% on US Spotify
- Streams for the Diane Warren-penned Best Original Song nominee “Applause (From Tell It Like a Woman)” were up almost 600% following a live performance on ABC’s Academy Awards telecast
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