India

Film music (filmi) is by far the most popular form of music in India. Bollywood soundtracks dominate radio, streaming, and public life, with playback singers recording songs that actors lip-sync on screen. This system produced legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammed Rafi, and lives on today through artists like Arijit Singh and A.R. Rahman.

Last reviewed: 2026-09

Hindustani and Carnatic are the two main systems of Indian classical music. Hindustani classical is the North Indian tradition, emphasising improvisation within ragas and influenced by Persian and Mughal culture. Carnatic is the South Indian tradition, more structured and composition-oriented, with a strong devotional character. Both share the raga and tala systems but differ in instruments, vocal techniques, and repertoire.

Lata Mangeshkar is widely regarded as the greatest Indian singer, known as the Nightingale of India. Over a career spanning seven decades she recorded songs in more than 30 languages and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most recorded artist in history. Other frequently named legends include Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, and Asha Bhosle.

Last reviewed: 2026-09

Indian hip-hop grew out of Mumbai's underground rap battles and street cyphers in the early 2010s. Artists like Divine and Naezy rapped about life in Mumbai's slums and gained attention through YouTube. The 2019 Bollywood film Gully Boy, inspired by their stories, brought the genre into mainstream consciousness. Today Indian hip-hop spans multiple languages and regions, with thriving scenes in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore.

Bhangra began as a Punjabi folk dance performed during the Vaisakhi harvest festival, accompanied by the dhol drum. In the 1980s and 1990s it evolved into a popular music genre that combined traditional Punjabi rhythms with electronic production. Artists like Daler Mehndi and Gurdas Maan made it popular across India, while the British Asian diaspora spread it worldwide.