Famous Indian Musicians

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian polymath who contributed greatly to the fields of literature, art, and philosophy. Referred to as the Bard of Bengal, Tagore is credited with reshaping Bengali literature and music. The first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore is also credited with composing the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.

A. R. Rahman is an Indian film composer, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Rahman is one of the most decorated and celebrated musicians in Indian history. He was won several prestigious awards including two Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA Award. In 2009, he was named among the 100 most influential people in Time.

S. P. Balasubrahmanyam was an Indian playback singer, music director, actor, television presenter, film producer, and voice-over artist. Widely regarded as one of the most gifted singers of his generation, Balasubrahmanyam received six National Film Awards in an illustrious singing career that spanned more than five decades. He was posthumously honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.

Armaan Malik is an Indian singer, record producer, songwriter, actor, and voice-over artist. In 2015, he won two Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GiMA), becoming the youngest singer to win a couple of debut awards at GiMA. He has also received other prestigious awards like Stardust Award, Filmfare R. D. Burman Award, and South Indian International Movie Award. 

Anirudh Ravichander is an Indian singer and film composer. He achieved international recognition in 2012 when his debut track Why This Kolaveri Di went viral on the internet. Since then, Anirudh has been an important composer in the Tamil film industry. Over the years, he has received several prestigious awards like Edison Awards, Vijay Awards, and Mirchi Music Awards South.

Yo Yo Honey Singh is an Indian rapper, music producer, pop singer, composer, actor, and lyricist. He is currently one of the most successful and highest-paid musical artists in the music industry in India. He has received several prestigious awards including an MTV VMAI Award, MTV EMA Award, UK Asian Music Award, BritAsia TV Music Award, and Zee Cine Award.

Born into a Tamil musical family, legendary composer, conductor, and lyricist Ilaiyaraaja became the first Asian to compose for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has composed for more than 1000 feature films and has five National Film Awards, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan to his credit.

G. V. Prakash Kumar is an Indian film composer, singer, producer, and actor. After starting his career as a music composer in Tamil films, Prakash Kumar went on to establish himself as an actor. One of the most acclaimed music composers in the Tamil film industry, Prakash Kumar has received several prestigious awards like Filmfare Awards South and MTV Awards.

Sonu Nigam is an Indian singer, actor, and music director. Nicknamed The Lord of Chords, Sonu is widely regarded as one of the world's best live performers. He is credited with recording over 4000 songs in several Indian languages. He has also won many prestigious awards, such as Filmfare Awards, National Award, and Indian Television Academy Awards.

Bhushan Kumar is an Indian music producer and film producer. He is currently serving as the managing director and chairman of a popular film production company and record label named T-Series, which was founded by his father Gulshan Kumar. As a producer, Bhushan Kumar has won a couple of Filmfare Awards for producing movies like Hindi Medium and Thappad.

Known for epic romantic and historic drama films such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, and Bajirao Mastani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian director recognized for his signature opulent sets and star-studded cast. The five-time National Film Award winner also has a Padma Shri in his kitty.

Famed Indian lyricist, poet, author, screenwriter, and film director Gulzar has been a major figure in Bollywood for over six decades. He started doing odd jobs as a teenager and eventually entered films, where he made a name for himself as a lyricist and screenwriter. He soon started directing films as well. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards.

Born Kedarnath Bhattacharaya, Kumar Sanu turned out to be Bollywood’s King of Melody. One of the greatest Indian playback singers, he rocked the 1990s with hits such as Kuch Na Kaho and Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen. The Padma Shri winner has had multiple hit duets with co-singer Alka Yagnik.

Kanika Kapoor is an Indian singer who achieved popularity after the release of her song Baby Doll from the movie Ragini MMS 2. She then went on to record some of the most popular Hindi songs like Lovely. Over the years, she has won many prestigious awards like Brit Asia TV Music Awards, BIG Star Entertainment Award, and Filmfare Award.

Born in Chennai, to a Carnatic music teacher mother, Sid Sriram later moved to the US with his family. The talented singer-songwriter is a Berklee College of Music alumnus and is known for his skills mixing pop/soul and Indian classical elements. His Indian playback credits include Adiye from the film Kadal.

Andrea Jeremiah is an Indian actress, singer, voice-over artist, and musician who predominantly works in the Tamil film industry. Apart from playing lead roles in successful films, Jeremiah has also contributed to the soundtracks of popular albums. She is best known for her performance in the 2018 period gangster film Vada Chennai for which she won the Behindwoods Golden Medal.

Rahul Dev Burman was an Indian music director. He is regarded as one of the greatest music composers in the history of Indian music. He is credited with composing songs that helped define the career of singers like Kishore Kumar. His works have inspired a generation of Indian music directors. 

Alka Yagnik is an Indian playback singer. One of the most popular female playback singers in Bollywood, Yagnik has won a record seven Filmfare Awards and two National Film Awards in an illustrious career spanning more than 40 years. Alka Yagnik has also won other prestigious awards, such as Bollywood Movie Awards, Global Indian Film Awards, and Zee Cine Awards.

Badshah is a singer, rapper, businessman, and film producer. Widely regarded as one of the highest-paid artists in India, Badshah is also considered one of the most controversial Indian rappers. His song Genda Phool is considered controversial, but is yet one of the most successful songs in Indian history. He has been featured thrice in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list.

Bappi Lahiri was an Indian singer and music composer. He popularized the use of synthesized disco music in Indian films. He achieved popularity in the 1980s and 1990s and was best known for his work in dance films like Dance Dance and Disco Dancer. 

Initially a sound engineer, Vijay Antony later rose to become a prominent music director of the Tamil film industry. Known for his music in films such as Vettaikaaran and Kadhalil Vizhunthen, he later stepped into acting with Naan. He won the Golden Lion at Cannes for his track Naaka Mukka.

Bismillah Khan was a reputed classical musician, credited with popularizing the shehnai, an Indian oboe like woodwind instrument, at home and abroad. Until his time, shehnai was considered a folk instrument played only at traditional ceremonies, an idea he demolished with his concert performance in 1937, eventually taking it to the global audience with his appearance at Edinburgh International Festival.

M.S. Subbulakshmi was an Indian singer. Dubbed the Queen of Music, Subbulakshmi was the leading exponent of Carnatic music. In 1966, she became the first Indian to perform in UN General Assembly. In 1974, she became the first Indian musician to be awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award. In 1998, Subbulakshmi became the first musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna.

Yuvan Shankar Raja is a music composer and singer-songwriter. He is credited with introducing hip-hop to the Tamil music industry and became one of the most sought-after Tamil composers in 2000s. In 2006, he won the Cyprus International Film Festival Award, becoming the first Indian composer to win the award. He has also won other awards like Filmfare Awards South.

Adnan Sami is an Indian musician, singer, pianist, and music composer. Best known for his skills as a piano player, Sami was named the world's fastest keyboard player by Keyboard magazine. He is also widely regarded as the first person to have played Indian classical music on the piano. In 2020, he was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri. 

Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian film composer and singer. He is one-third of the popular musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy which predominantly composes music for Bollywood films. A well-known playback singer, Mahadevan has won three National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer. In 2019, Shankar Mahadevan was honored with the Padma Shri for his contributions to film music. 

Zakir Hussain is an Indian musician, tabla virtuoso, percussionist, composer, and music producer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tabla players of all time, Hussain has received many prestigious awards in his illustrious career. In 1990, he was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. In 2002, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.

Jagjit Singh was an Indian singer, musician, and composer. Nicknamed King of Ghazals, Jagjit Singh is credited with reviving and popularizing an Indian classical art form called ghazal. Regarded as one of the most influential artists in India, Singh was honored with India's third-highest civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2003.  He was also honored with other awards like Lata Mangeshkar Samman.

Born into a family of Urdu poets from Gwalior, renowned Indian lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar had initially been a screenwriter, along with Salim Khan, for films such as Sholay and Deewaar. The Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan winner has also been a Rajya Sabha MP.

M.M. Keeravaani is an Indian playback singer, film composer, and lyricist. One of the most respected and decorated music directors in the Telugu film industry, Keeravani is the recipient of 11 Nandi Awards, eight Filmfare Awards, and a National Film Award. Over the years, he has composed music for successful and popular movies like Baahubali.

Mika Singh is an Indian singer, rapper, and performer. Apart from contributing to the soundtrack of many popular films like Singh Is Kinng and Jab We Met, Singh has released many solo albums as well. He has also performed live at popular venues like The O2 Arena.

Anu Malik is an Indian singer, music composer, and arranger. He is credited with composing some of the most popular Hindi songs, including Chamma Chamma from the film China Gate, which was used in the jukebox musical romantic drama film Moulin Rouge! Anu Malik has also served as a judge on the popular TV show Indian Idol.

Better known as Janaki Amma, playback singer S. Janaki had begun her career with the Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu. Also known as the Nightingale of South India, she has lent her voice to over 48,000 songs. Following her retirement, she has been the victim of death hoaxes at least twice.

Raftaar is an Indian rapper, TV personality, lyricist, dancer, and music composer. The recipient of a Brit Asia TV Music Award, Raftaar has contributed immensely to the soundtracks of several popular Bollywood films like Bullet Raja, Heropanti, and Dangal. He has also served as a judge on popular TV shows like Roadies, Dance India Dance, and MTV Hustle.

Part of the legendary Indian music composer duo Laxmikant–Pyarelal, which ruled the Hindi film music industry for decades, Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar had a tough childhood in the slums of Mumbai. He took up music after his father’s death, so that he could support his family, and never looked back.

Gwalior-born composer Tansen, also known as Ramtanu Pandey, was an iconic figure of Hindustani classical music. Best known for his dhrupad and raga compositions, he was one of the navratnas, or nine gems, of Mughal emperor Akbar’s court. He also invented a stringed instrument named the rabab.

Fort Kochi-born K.J. Yesudas is a major figure of Indian Malyali music. Known as Dasettan to his followers, the singer is an eight-time National Award winner and has the prestigious Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan in his kitty. He has also acted in a few regional films.

The Rebel Poet of Bengal Kazi Nazrul Islam is remembered for his vast body of literary work, including poems and songs written during the British Raj, mostly laced with socio-political overtones. His songs, known as Nazrul Geeti, are the staple for any Bengali household. He is also Bangladesh’s national poet.

Bhupen Hazarika was an Indian playback singer, musician, poet, lyricist, and filmmaker. He is remembered for composing such songs that highlight the importance of humanity and universal brotherhood. His songs remain popular in places like Assam and Bangladesh. He is also credited with introducing the folk music of Assam to Bollywood. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019.

Santhosh Narayanan is an Indian musician and film composer who works in the Tamil film industry. One of the most successful and celebrated film composers of his generation, Santhosh Narayanan is renowned for his willingness to experiment. Widely regarded as one of the best musicians of the Tamil film industry, Santhosh Narayanan has won many awards for his background score. 

Known for blending Indian classical music with contemporary undertones, Indian music director, composer, and record producer, Pritam Chakraborty is also a well-known singer and instrumentalist.  Beginning his career with ad jingles, he later partnered with Jeet Ganguly to compose music for Hindi films before going solo. He has won numerous awards for his work, concurrently helping budding musicians through his organization JAM8.

Known as the Dandiya Queen, Falguni Pathak rocked the 1990s with her chartbusting tracks such as Chudi Jo Khanki Haathon Mein, which still light up Navratri celebrations in India. She is also known for her signature androgynous looks. Though she’s based in Mumbai, her songs reflect the Gujarati folk culture.

Harris Jayaraj is an Indian film composer who works predominantly in the Tamil film industry. Dubbed The Melody King, Jayaraj is renowned for composing soothing music. One of the most decorated film composers of his generation, Harris Jayaraj has received several prestigious awards including six Filmfare Awards South, six Mirchi Music Awards, and four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Bhimsen Joshi was an Indian vocalist best known for recording devotional songs. Widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, Bhimsen Joshi was the first Indian musician whose concerts were promoted through posters in New York City, New York. Over the course of his career, Joshi received prestigious honors, such as the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

Gippy Grewal is an Indian actor, film director, producer, and singer. An important figure in the Punjabi music industry, Grewal achieved popularity for his song Phulkari. Since then, he has established himself as an actor, winning awards such as PTC Best Actor Award and PIFAA Best Actor Award. Gippy Grewal has also won several other awards like Brit Asia Awards. 

Anuradha Paudwal is an Indian playback singer who has contributed to the soundtrack of many Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, and Marathi films. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards, such as Filmfare Awards and a National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. In 2017, Anuradha Paudwal was honored with India's fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri.

Daler Mehndi is an Indian singer, record producer, songwriter, and author. Renowned for his dance songs, Daler Mehndi is credited with popularizing Bhangra around the world. He is also credited with creating a musical genre named Rabbabi, which combines elements of rock, Sufi, and Thumri. Mehndi is also known for his philanthropic efforts and has contributed to many charitable causes.