When it comes to Indian music, there’s no denying that the country has produced some truly incredible singers over the years. From Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle to Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi, the list of legendary vocalists from India is truly impressive.
But with so many great singers to choose from, it can be tough to decide on just a few to highlight as the “best.” That’s why we’ve put together this list of the 10 greatest Indian singers of all time. These are the vocalists who have left an indelible mark on Indian music history with their powerful voices, emotional performances, and enduring legacies.
So sit back, relax, and get ready to be serenaded by the best of the best. And if you’re anything like us, you’ll be reaching for the repeat button on more than a few of these tracks.
Best Singers in India
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar is one of the biggest legends of all time. This versatile artist was not only a singer, but also an actor, lyricist, composer, producer, director, and screenwriter. He could croon a romantic ballad and make you swoon one moment, then have you in splits with his comedic timing the next. With a career spanning over four decades, Kishore Kumar has recorded more than 3,500 songs for over 800 films. His soulful voice and unique style made him one of the most celebrated singers in India and continues to be an inspiration for many to this day. It’s safe to say that Kishore Kumar was a jack of all trades, and a master of them all.
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi is a name that is synonymous with golden era of Indian cinema. This melodious singer was known for his captivating voice that could effortlessly convey a wide range of emotions. From the tenderness of a love ballad to the fervor of a patriotic song, Rafi Saab could sing it all. With a career spanning over three decades, he recorded over 7,000 songs for Bollywood films, as well as regional language films, and non-film albums. He has worked with famous music composers like Laxmikant Pyarelal, O.P. Nayyar, Naushad, S.D. Burman, Shankar Jaikishan, among many others. His undeniable talent and versatility established him as one of the greatest singers India has ever produced and continues to be celebrated till this day.
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is one of the most iconic singers of all time. With a career spanning over seven decades, this melodious voice has recorded over 11,000 songs for Indian films, as well as albums, and private non-film albums. She is widely recognized as one of the greatest playback singers in India and has lent her voice to leading actresses of her time. Her versatility and range as a singer are truly remarkable, she can belt out high-energy cabaret numbers, as well as soulful ghazals, with equal ease. She has worked with famous music composers like R.D. Burman, O.P. Nayyar, Laxmikant Pyarelal, among many others. Even after all these years, her voice still continues to enthrall listeners, and her legacy lives on through her timeless songs.
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is nothing short of a living legend. With a career spanning over eight decades, she has recorded songs for thousands of Indian films in multiple languages. Her melodious voice and soulful singing style has made her one of the most renowned and respected playback singers in India and around the world. Lata ji has lent her voice to some of the most iconic Indian film songs of all time, and her influence on Indian music is undeniable. From patriotic songs, devotional songs, classical songs and even filmi pop, she has done it all. Her contribution to Indian cinema and music is immense, she is honored with several awards including Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and Bharat Ratna. She continues to be an inspiration for aspiring singers and music lovers alike.
Sonu Nigam
Sonu Nigam is one of the best indian singers of recent times. He is known for his powerful and versatile singing, Nigam’s career began with playback singing for Bollywood films. He has gone on to record a large number of albums, including pop albums and ghazals. He is known for his unique style of singing which is a blend of traditional Indian classical music and modern Western music. He has won several awards, including Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer, Star Screen Award and many more. His ability to sing in several languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Marathi, and English made him a pan-Indian singer. He has also performed live extensively around the world, making him one of the most well-known Indian singers worldwide. His unique singing style, range, and versatility established him as one of the most respected and popular contemporary singers in India and around the world.
Arijit Singh
Arijit has made a name for himself with his soulful and emotive singing style. His unique voice and ability to convey deep emotions through his singing have earned him a huge fan following. He began his career in music as a participant of a reality show and then went on to record many hit songs for Bollywood films. He has recorded many songs in different languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu and Punjabi, making him one of the most versatile singers in Indian music scene. His contribution to Indian music is immense, he has won several awards including Filmfare award for Best Male Playback Singer and many more. He has also performed live extensively around the world, becoming one of the most sought-after live performers in India and around the world. His melodious voice and emotive singing style make him one of the most respected and celebrated singers of recent times.
Udit Narayan
Udit Narayan is one of the best singers in India, he is widely recognized for his powerful and melodious singing style. Udit began his career with playback singing for Bollywood films, and later went on to record a large number of albums, including solo albums and collaborations. He is known for his ability to sing in multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Bengali, he has recorded more than 30,000 songs in his career. He has won several awards including National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards and many more, becoming one of the most awarded singers in recent times. He is considered as one of the most versatile singers and has recorded many hit songs for various Indian films and albums, his songs are widely popular among all ages. His unique singing style, range, and versatility established him as one of the most respected and popular contemporary singers in India and around the world.
Kumar Sanu
When it comes to Indian music, Kumar Sanu is one of the most popular singers in India. He is widely recognized for his melodious and soulful singing style, he began his career with playback singing for Bollywood films, and later went on to record a large number of albums, including solo albums and collaborations. He is known for his ability to sing in multiple languages including Hindi, Bengali and Punjabi. He has won several awards, including Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and many more, becoming one of the most awarded singers in recent times. Kumar Sanu’s songs are widely popular among all ages and many of his songs have become chart-toppers in India and abroad, his contribution to the Indian music industry is immense. His unique singing style, range, and versatility established him as one of the most respected and popular contemporary singers in India and around the world.
Manna Dey
When it comes to Indian music, Manna Dey is one of the most accomplished and legendary singers of all times. He began his career as a playback singer for Bollywood films and later went on to record a large number of albums, including solo albums and collaborations. He was known for his versatility and was considered as one of the most admired classical and film playback singers of India. He sang in multiple languages including Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Assamese, and even a number of foreign languages. He has won several awards, including Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri and many more, becoming one of the most awarded singers in Indian music history. His contribution to Indian music is immense and continues to be celebrated even today. His unique singing style, range, and versatility established him as one of the most respected and popular singers in India and around the world.
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya began her career with playback singing for Bollywood films, and later went on to record a large number of albums, including solo albums and collaborations. She is known for her ability to sing in multiple languages including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Malayalam. She has won several awards, including Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer and many more, becoming one of the most awarded singers in recent times. Her songs are widely popular among all ages, and many of her songs have become chart-toppers in India and abroad. Her unique singing style, range, and versatility established her as one of the most respected and popular contemporary singers in India and around the world. Her contribution to the Indian music industry is undeniable and continues to inspire many aspiring singers.
In conclusion, Indian music has been blessed with an abundance of talented and accomplished singers throughout its history. The singers mentioned in this article are just a small selection of the many legends who have left an indelible mark on Indian music with their powerful voices, emotional performances, and enduring legacies.
From Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammad Rafi to Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh, Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Manna Dey, and Shreya Ghoshal, each one of them has their own unique style and has made an exceptional contribution to the Indian music industry.
Their songs are widely popular and continue to be loved and celebrated by music lovers all around the world. This list is not exhaustive but is a tribute to some of the greatest singers India has ever produced.
