100 Best Indian Rock Bands

The rock music scene in India has evolved in every decade creating a unique identity. While it’s Bollywood music that continues to be the most popular form of music in India, over the years rock music in India has grown into an independent entity that has carved a niche for itself. From urban cities to small towns, rock music has spread it’s wings in India, and it’s only going to get bigger in the years ahead.

This list is a joyful celebration of moments, from where it all began in this country of multi-ethnic culture. As a listener and musician, I in no way make this an attempt to rank bands, it’s just a humble showcase of some awesome Indian bands you must lend your ears.

The list below showcases a collection of the best Indian rock bands form different decades, across different rock genres. Keep rocking guys! Do your thing!

Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section.

10 Best Indian Rock Bands

1. Rock Machine/Indus Creed (Hard Rock/Alternative Rock-Mumbai)
2. Indian Ocean (Folk Rock/Jazz Rock-Delhi)
3. Kailasa (Sufi Rock-Mumbai)
4. Parikrama (Indian Rock/Hard Rock-Delhi)
5. The Great Society (Blues Rock-Shillong)
6. Waterfront (Rock/Jazz Rock-Mumbai)
7. Soulmate (Blues Rock-Shillong)
8. Skyharbor (Progressive Metal-Delhi)
9. Motherjane (Ethnic Progressive Rock-Kochi)
10. Krosswindz (Bengali Rock/Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion-Kolkata)

The Ordeal for Indian Rock Bands in the ‘60s and ‘70s

Rock music has been popular in India since the ‘60s and ‘70s. Influences of rock music are evident in composers from flower power era. However, in the ‘60s and ‘70s not every band had the audio equipment they needed or desired. Sourcing musical instruments in India back in the ‘60s and ‘70s was not easy for bands and musicians.

Musical instruments used in western music were unaffordable for musicians in India in these decades. Back then, most music shops in India did not have the musical instruments and equipment that musicians required. The local brands of musical instruments and audio equipment were lacking and not at par with their international counterparts. And so, the only choice left for many professional bands and musicians associated with western music was to import the required equipment.

Only the rich could afford to get their hands on good musical equipment and musical instruments in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Several talented musicians coming from middle-class backgrounds in India relied heavily on borrowing or renting musical instruments and equipment while performing live or recording in a studio.

Although several accomplished Indian rock bands in the ‘60s and ‘70s did not achieve the desired success with their albums, they acquired a cult following among close-knit rock audiences performing at small venues, mainly at hotels, gymkhanas, clubs, halls, or at a college campus for cultural events or festivals. How things have changed over the years.

#11—20

11. Euphoria (Pop Rock-Delhi)

12. Raghu Dixit Project (Indian Folk Rock-Bangalore)

13. Pentagram (Rock/Electronic Rock-Mumbai)

14. Zero (Pop Rock/Rock-Mumbai)

15. Thermal And A Quarter (Blues Rock/Indian Rock/Progressive Rock-Bangalore)

16. Fentones (Pop Rock-Shillong)

17. Skinny Alley (Rock/Funk-Kolkata)

18. Girish and the Chronicles (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal-Gangtok, Sikkim)

19. Great Bear/High Progressive Rock-Kolkata)

20. 13 AD (Hard Rock-Kochi)

The Rock Music Landscape in Modern India: The Paradigm Shift

Times have changed! Thanks to progress, economic changes, infrastructure growth, and rapid advances in technology, that long-awaited paradigm shift did arrive, and ever since the diverse musical landscape of Indian rock music has become a magnanimous entity that has mesmerized and enslaved hearts and minds. Musicians in this present age have the best audio equipment and musical instruments at affordable prices at music stores across India.

Although majority of music stores dealing with audio equipment and musical instruments are prevalent in urban cities, the strong presence of online stores now makes it possible for musicians based in small towns, small cities, and villages to own musical instruments and equipment of their choice. In present times Indian Rock bands are touring across cities in India and the West promoting their albums. What a change it has been!

#21—40

21. Avial (Alternative Rock-Trivandrum)

22. Colourblind (Alternative/Electro-Rock-Mumbai)

23. About Us (Hard Rock/Melodic Rock-Wokha, Nagaland)

24. The Human Bondage (Psychedelic Rock-Bangalore)

25. Swarathma (Indian Folk Rock/Blues Rock/Indian Rock-Bangalore)

26. Atomic Forest (Psychedelic Rock/Hard Rock-Mumbai)

27. The Cavaliers (Pop Rock-Kolkata)

28. Savage Encounter (Blues Rock-Mumbai)

29. Advaita (Fusion/Rock/Alternative-Delhi)

30. Sanam (Pop Rock-Mumbai)

31. Thaikkudam Bridge (Indian Rock/Folk/Heavy Metal-Kochi)

32. Still Waters (Hard Rock-Gangtok)

33. Agnee (Rock/Indian Rock/Melodic Rock-Pune)

34. The Savages (Rock/Rock n Roll-Mumbai)

35. Phoenix/Phynx (Hard Rock/Glam Metal- Imphal, Manipur)

36. The Combustibles (Garage Rock-Mumbai)

37. Shiva (Hard Rock-Kolkata)

38. Magdalene (Nu Age Rock-Aizawl, Mizoram)

39. The Local Train (Rock/Alternative Rock-Chandigarh)

40. Hipnotribe (Funk Rock/Jazz Rock-Mumbai)

Rock Music in Cities and Small Town Across India

Over the years the rock scene in India has flourished. Every city in India has rock bands associated with different genres. Such is the frenzy in India today. Rock bands from India bring a rich influence of sound and ethnicity to rock music. Music festivals in India have become hugely popular, and bands from different genres perform at music festivals in various cities. The North East region in India is home to some of the finest rock bands in India. Least surprising why the North East, Shillong in particular, is referred colloquially as the “Rock Capital of India”.

Aside from rock bands in big cities, it brings a sense of joy to see rock bands emerge from small towns and small cities in India. It goes to show talent is everywhere in this country of ethnic diversity. In India, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Shillong, Gangtok, Kohima, Guwahati, Aizawl, Dimapur, Imphal, and Agartala are few cities where rock music is excessively popular. This is just the beginning!

#41—60

41. Orange Street (Rock/Indian Rock-Delhi)

42. Trance Effect (Pop Rock-Dimapur, Nagaland)

43. Hammersmith (Hard Rock-Ahmadabad)

44. Bhayanak Maut (Groove Metal/Deathcore-Mumbai)

45. Millennium (Heavy Metal-Bangalore)

46. The Down Troddence (Thrash Metal/Groove Metal/Folk Metal-Kerala)

47. Junkyard Groove (Alternative Rock-Chennai)

48. The Unknowns (Rock/Fusion-Bangalore)

49. Guillotine (Progressive Metal-Delhi)

50. Cassini’s Division (Alternative Rock-Kolkata)

51. Menwhopause (Alternative Rock-Delhi)

52. Abiogenesis (Folk Fusion-Dimapur, Nagaland)

53. Sceptre (Thrash Metal-Mumbai)

54. Demonic Resurrection (Symphonic Death Metal-Mumbai)

55. Something Relevant (Indie Rock/Jam Band-Mumbai)

56. Alobo Naga & the Band (Pop Rock-Dimapur, Nagaland)

57. Fossils (Bangla Rock-Kolkata)

58. The SuperFuzz (Post-Punk/Garage Rock-Delhi)

59. Moksha (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal-Chennai)

60. Lucid Recess (Alternative Metal-Guwahati, Assam)

#61—80

61. Agam (Carnatic Progressive Rock-Bangalore)

62. Midnight Garden Factor (Progressive Metal-Shillong)

63. Scribe (Post-Hardcore-Mumbai)

64. Extinct Reflections (Thrash Metal-Bangalore)

65. Parvaaz (Progressive Rock/Alternative Rock/Folk Rock-Bangalore)

66. Incipit (Alternative Rock-Dimapur, Nagaland)

67. Cactus (Bengali Rock-Kolkata)

68. The Vinyl Records (Post-Punk-Delhi)

69. Kryptos (Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal-Bangalore)

70. Envision (Electro-Rock-Delhi)

71. Myndsnare (Progressive Thrash Metal/Death Metal-Bangalore)

72. Aswekeepsearching (Post-Rock-Ahmedabad)

73. Pin Drop Violence (Heavy Metal-Mumbai)

74. Sifar (Alternative Rock-Delhi)

75. Ezee Meat (Hard Rock-Pune)

76. Project Malabaricus (Indian Rock-Kannur, Kerala)

77. Underground Authority (Alternative Rock/Rap Rock)

78. Inner Sanctum (Death Metal/Thrash Metal/Groove Metal-Bangalore)

79. Undying Inc (Thrash Metal/Death Metal-Delhi)

80. Insomnia (Bengali Rock/Progressive Rock/Nu Metal-Kolkata)

#81—100

81. Dream Out Loud (Indie Rock-Mumbai)

82. When Chai Met Toast (Indie-Folk/Alternative Rock-Kochi)

83. Five Little Indians (Alternative Rock/Hardcore Punk-Kolkata)

84. Afflatus (Rock-Shillong)

85. Boomarang (Experimental-Aizawl, Mizoram)

86. Imphal Talkies and the Howlers (Folk Rock-Imphal-Manipur)

87. Postmark (Thrash Metal-Imphal, Manipur)

88. Horjwlai (Folk Metal-Agartala, Tripura)

89. Divine Connection (Christian Rock-Kohima, Nagaland)

90. Noiseware (Progressive Metal/Experimental-Pune)

91. GingerFeet (Alternative Rock/Funk-Kolkata)

92. Peter Cat Recording Co. (Alternative Rock-Delhi)

93. Rainburn (Progressive Rock-Bangalore)

94. Daira (Art Rock/Alternative Rock/Progressive Rock-Mumbai)

95. Nerverek (Progressive Metal-Chennai)

96. Half Step Down (Alternative Rock/Funk/Blues-Delhi)

97. R.A.I.D. (Metallic Hardcore/Hardcore Punk-Hyderabad)

98. Zebadiah Plush (Hard Rock/Progressive Rock-Bangalore)

99. The Scavenger Project (Alternative Rock-Aizawl, Mizoram)

100. Kabir Café (Indie Folk/Folk Fusion-Mumbai)

Other Notable Rock Bands From India

• The Riot Peddlers (Punk Rock/Hardcore Punk-Mumbai)
• Prithibi (Bengali Rock/Alternative Rock-Kolkata)
• Antariksh (Pop Rock-Delhi)
• Dhunn (Hindi Rock-Bangalore)
• The LBG (Indian Rock-Chennai)
• Rusty Moe (Hard Rock/Funk-Chennai)
• Nightmare on Elm Street (Hard Rock-Delhi)
• Grassroots Revival (Blues Rock-Ahmadabad)
• Sky Rabbit (Electro-Post Punk/Indie-Mumbai)
• Acquired Funk Syndrome (Funk Metal/Funk Rock-Pune)
• Kollage (Pop Rock-Kolkata)
• Killer Tomatoes (Alternative Rock/Grunge-Delhi)
• Eccentric Pendulum (Progressive Death Metal- Bangalore)
• Comora (Thrash Metal-Aizawl, Mizoram)
• Gravy Train (Alternative Rock-Delhi)
• Silver (Hard Rock-Pune)
• Final Surrender (Folk Metal/Christian Metal/Metalcore-Bangalore)
• Scarface (Experimental/Hardcore/Metalcore-Kolkata)
• All the Fat Children (Alternative Rock/Hard Rock-Bangalore)
• Brahma (Heavy Metal-Mumbai)
• Age After Armageddon (Epic Metal/Melodic Death Metal-Guwahati)
• Winter Gate (Progressive Death Metal-Jaipur)

• Skrat (Garage Rock/Alternative Rock-Chennai)
• Them Clones (Alternative Rock-Delhi)
• Moheener Ghoraguli (Bengali Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Blues Rock-Kolkata)
• Dark Carnage (Progressive Metal-Guwahati)
• Freddy’s Nightmare (Alternative Rock-Aizawl, Mizoram)
• Twijlang (Christian Metal-Agartala, Tripura)
• Melodrama (Nu-Melodic Metal-Dimapur, Nagaland)
• Tripwire (Punk Rock-Mumbai)
• Antaragni (Rock/Fusion-Bangalore)
• Phenom (Progressive Rock-Bangalore)
• Azure Delusion (Thrash Metal-Kohima, Nagaland)
• Dark Horizon (Alternative Funk Rock-Haflong, Assam)
• Arihant (Technical Death Metal-Guwahati)
• Casey’s Secrets (Pop Rock-Aizawl, Mizoram)
• Theorized (Thrash Metal-Bangalore)
• Alien Gods (Black Metal/Death Metal-Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh)
• Cleave (Progressive Rock-Imphal, Manipur)
• Grimmortal (Deathcore-Mumbai)
• No Idea (Progressive Rock-Chennai)
• Coshish (Progressive Rock-Mumbai)
• Voodoo Child (Classic Rock-Guwahati)
• Bolepur Bluez (Baul/Rock/Fusion-Kolkata)