Top 10 Genres in the Indian Music Industry

The uniqueness of every music genre in India brings us together. We all know the unique style of Indian Music, which has billions of fans worldwide, both inside and outside India. But did you know that the influence of Indian Music on Western Music is as old as the Beatles? Today's article briefly introduces the types of Indian Music that vary by era, genre, and region. So let's dive in without any further effort!

Indian Classical Music

1. Carnatic Music

Carnatic music is a traditional music style from South India that became popular during the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century. It has strong roots in Hindu traditions and is different from other musical styles because it's more influenced by South Indian culture than Persian or Asiatic music. Carnatic Music is not just for classical music lovers; it has also influenced the world of film music. If you love music and want to learn more about South Indian culture, you can explore telugu, malayalam or tamil karaoke songs. Singing these songs can give you a taste of the rich traditions and practices of the region, making your learning and singing experience more enjoyable and meaningful.

2. Hindustani Music

Hindustani Music is considered Northern Music. This is because Music began in the Vedic period, and musicians usually sang ancient religious hymns. Under the influence of Persia, it belonged to Carnatic Music until it appeared as another type in the 14th century. As a result, Hindustani music has a strong presence in Bollywood, which is familiar to the western world. In the last decade, traces of Hindustani music can be seen in A. R. Rahman's music.

3. Light Classical Music

The Indian Classical Music category also has a variety of very similar but mild styles. These are known as "semi-classical" Indian or "light-classical" Music such as Chaiti, Natya Sangeet, Bhajan, Qawwali, Thumri, Kajari, Tappa, Dadra, Ghazal.

Indian Folk Music

4. Lavani

Lavani is one of the most famous music formats in Maharashtra, West Indies. Lavani is primarily a combination of dance and song performed on the Indian percussion instrument Dholakia. This music offers the best danceability. Music has a fast tempo and a robust rhythm and has a significant influence on Marathi folk theatre. Anyone can play music, but women are more likely to play it if they wear a long sari.

Characteristics of Indian Music

5. Bhangra and Modern Bhangra

Bhangra is a piece of folk music closely related to the Punjab region and is still practiced in the Punjab community in India, Europe, and North America. The music genre began in British Punjabi in the late 1970s and pervaded Indian culture. Gidda is a popular Punjab female dance, usually practiced in Bhangra music. With the rise of pop music and the latest recording tools, in the years that followed, this genre saw developments that brought about "modern Bhangra". Keep in mind that Punjabi Bhangra and modern Bhangra are a little different from Punjabi folk music itself.
For example, the typical song structure of modern Bhangra usually consists of a single chorus with four stanzas and two instrument bridge sections. Then, on the other hand, it has much simpler Punjabi folk music and could contain only one or two stanzas throughout the song. Modern examples and traces of modern Punjabi music can be seen in Sidhu Moose Wala's music.

6. Sufi Folk Rock

Sufi Folk-Rock is a relatively modern style of Music in India, but it gradually creates an immense sensation nationwide. This is because it combines both traditional devoted Sufi poetry and rhyme elements with modern complex rock music. Sufi Rock became a big hit in 2005 when Indian musicians broke the charts with the first Sufi folk-rock song of its kind, followed by many Bollywood hits that solidified the genre in neo-Indian culture.

Types of Indian Classical Music

7. Bengali Folk

Tagore or Rabindranath Tagore's song is written and composed by the popular Nobel Prize-winning Rabindranath Tagore in Polymers, India. He wrote more than 2,200 songs in Bengali and is now used as inspiration for traditional folk songs across the country. This Music has Bengali features that are very popular in both India and Bangladesh.

Indian Pop Music

8. Bollywood Pop

Indians are known to embrace their culture, but thanks to Bollywood movies, pop music is becoming the most popular genre in the country. The adaptation of Indian pop music combines modern beats from around the world with a mixture of Indian classical and folk music. This genre is mainly reflected in the Film Industry music in the form of film scores and background scores.

9. Indian Dance Music

Indians, especially young people, are big fans of electronic dance music (EDM). Indians usually call it "DJ Music", usually based on famous Indian movies and popular music songs. Indian dance music often combines classical and folk Indian music elements with Western EDM to create something truly unique.

10. Indie Pop

The rise in Indie/Independent artists and their listeners in the past couple of years has been jaw-dropping. The surge of modern indie music amid teenagers has been evident. Famous indie artists like Prateek Kuhad and Anuv Jain top the charts in the indie-pop genre.

Conclusion:

Diversity brings us together, be it in art, culture, food, or music! The music taste of Indian listeners has grown more diverse over time. The music industry is one of the biggest industries in India. If you are an independent artist and require assistance with the music production process, Carry A Tune has got you covered. We offer an exquisite range of services from Online music production to appointing a music arranger and so on. Contact us now for further details, and keep creating incredible music!