Tamil Songs

About Tamil Music

Music of Tamil Nadu has a long tradition and history going back several hundred years. Music is a very important aspect of the culture of the Tamil people. The musical tradition evolved over a period of centuries into the classical Carnatic music and the more popular film music.

Tamil Cinema is well known for its talented composers. Two of the most famous and acclaimed film composers of India, Ilaiyaraaja and A. R. Rahman are from Tamil Nadu. Other prominent Tamil film score and soundtrack composers in the industry include Yuvan Shankar Raja, Harris Jayaraj, Vidyasagar and others. During the 1960s and 1970s, prominent film composers K. V. Mahadevan, M. S. Viswanathan and others were popular.

The film music of Tamil Nadu is widely known for its innovation and eclecticism. Scores may showcase blends of Carnatic, Western and other instruments, with a range of melodic and rhythmic patterns. Orchestral themes and minimalist songs often feature. Recent trends show the prevalence of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.