Hindi music is heard far beyond India. It plays at weddings in London, on car radios in Dubai, in kitchens in Toronto and on phones all over the world. For many people it is the soundtrack of family, celebration and memory.
This Hindi music guide is a short introduction to the main kinds of Hindi music you will come across: film songs, ghazals, indipop and today's independent scene. It is a starting point for curious listeners, not a complete history.
Hindi music guide: the foundation of Hindustani music
Underneath much of Hindi popular music lies Hindustani classical music, the classical tradition of northern India. Its two central ideas are raga, a framework of notes and phrases that creates a particular mood, and tala, a rhythmic cycle.
You do not need to know any theory to enjoy Hindi songs. But once you know that many film songs and ghazals are built on ragas, you start to hear why certain melodies feel so emotional, and why some songs sound right for the evening, the rain or a moment of longing.
Hindi film songs: the heart of Hindi pop
For most of the past century, Hindi popular music and Hindi cinema have been closely linked. Songs have been part of Hindi films since the early days of sound cinema, and film soundtracks have long been the main source of hit songs.
Playback singing
One feature of Hindi film music surprises many newcomers: the actors on screen usually do not sing the songs themselves. Instead, professional playback singers record the songs, and the actors perform them on screen. Over the decades, playback singers have become stars in their own right.
Many styles in one tradition
Film music is not one style. Composers have always borrowed freely: from classical ragas and folk songs, from qawwali and ghazal, and from jazz, rock, disco, hip-hop and electronic music from around the world. The mid-twentieth century is often remembered for its rich melodies and poetic lyrics, while later decades brought bigger production, new sounds and faster rhythms.
Because films need songs for every kind of moment, the range is huge: love songs, sad songs, dance numbers, festival songs, wedding songs, devotional songs and songs of friendship and family. That is one reason Hindi film music is so central to celebrations.
Ghazals: poetry set to music
The ghazal is a poetic form made of couplets. Each couplet is complete in itself, and the couplets share a rhyme and a repeated refrain. The form has roots in Arabic and Persian poetry and flourished in Urdu. Mirza Ghalib, the nineteenth-century poet, is one of the most celebrated ghazal writers.
Ghazals usually explore love, longing, loss and the beauty of something just out of reach. When sung, they are often slow and intimate, with the singer giving space to every word. Listeners frequently respond to a well-turned line the way other audiences might applaud a guitar solo.
Ghazal singing became widely popular through concerts, recordings and film, and it remains a favourite for quiet evenings and thoughtful listening. If you enjoy lyrics, ghazals are a wonderful place to start.
Devotional and Sufi music
Devotional songs are another important strand. Bhajans are devotional songs in the Hindu tradition. Qawwali is a powerful form of Sufi devotional music, known for its building rhythms, handclaps and soaring vocals. Both have influenced film music deeply, and both are loved in their own right.
Indipop: Hindi music beyond the movies
In the 1990s, a new wave of non-film pop music arrived. Often called indipop, it grew alongside music television and music videos. For the first time, many Hindi pop songs became hits without being tied to a film.
Indipop showed that there was a large audience for Hindi songs with their own identity, and it opened the door for artists who wanted to make music on their own terms.
Today's independent scene
The internet has changed Hindi music again. With streaming services, video platforms and social media, independent artists can record, release and find listeners without a film or a big label behind them.
Today's independent scene covers indie pop, rock, folk-inspired songwriting, hip-hop and electronic music. Many artists mix Hindi with English, Urdu, Punjabi or other languages, and many blend modern production with older sounds. Artists in the diaspora are part of this too, bringing their own experiences of growing up between cultures.
How to start listening to Hindi radio online
- Follow the mood. Hindi music has songs for every feeling. Let the time of day guide you.
- Listen to the words. If you do not speak Hindi or Urdu, a translation can reveal the poetry in a song.
- Catch the names. If you hear something you love, check the Recently played screen for the artist and title. Our guide to finding a song you heard on the radio shows how.
- Ask for a favourite. You can request a song on the Hindi station.
Frequently asked questions
What is playback singing in Hindi films?
The actors on screen usually do not sing the songs themselves. Professional playback singers record the songs, and the actors perform them on screen.
What is a ghazal?
A ghazal is a poetic form made of couplets that share a rhyme and a repeated refrain. It has roots in Arabic and Persian poetry and flourished in Urdu. When sung, ghazals are often slow and intimate.
What is indipop?
Indipop is the wave of non-film pop music that arrived in the 1990s, alongside music television and music videos. For the first time, many Hindi pop songs became hits without being tied to a film.
Enjoy songs in more than one language? Our Bangla music guide covers Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Baul and band music, and our introduction to the English, Bangla and Hindi radio stations explains what each station is for.
Ready to listen? Tune in to the FnF.FM Hindi station.
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