01
Balamurali Krishna
Carnatic music's most versatile genius — vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer.
▲ Steady·Score +18
India
Best Indian Classical Musicians of All Time
The ragas and rhythms of India — the greatest artists in Hindustani and Carnatic classical traditions.
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02
Bismillah Khan
The shehnai virtuoso who made the instrument synonymous with Indian spirituality.
▲ Steady·Score +15
03
Lata Mangeshkar
The Nightingale of Bollywood — recorded over 30,000 songs across 36 languages.
▲ Steady·Score +15
04
Vilayat Khan
The sitar master who created the gayaki ang style — playing sitar like a singer's voice.
▲ Steady·Score +14
05
Amjad Ali Khan
The sarod maestro who opened the instrument to new emotional and musical possibilities.
▲ Steady·Score +9
06
Bhimsen Joshi
The Kirana gharana's greatest voice — a titan of Hindustani classical khayal singing.
▲ Steady·Score +9
07
M.S. Subbulakshmi
The Nightingale of India — her Carnatic vocals are the most recorded in Indian history.
▲ Steady·Score +8
08
AR Rahman
The Mozart of Madras — his film scores brought Indian music to a global audience.
▲ Steady·Score +7
09
S
Shivkumar Sharma
Elevated the santoor from a folk instrument to a revered Hindustani classical voice.
▲ Steady·Score +6
10
Ravi Shankar
The sitar maestro who brought Indian classical music to the world — a true global legend.
▲ Steady·Score +5
11
Hariprasad Chaurasia
The bansuri flute maestro who transformed the folk instrument into a classical vehicle.
▲ Steady·Score +4
12
Zakir Hussain
The tabla's greatest master — bridging Indian classical with jazz, rock and world music.
▲ Steady·Score +2
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