Telugu is a language spoken in beautiful India and people in the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh use it as their official language. These southern regions of India have been connected with music, dance, and storytelling for a long time and both of the states have a very interesting and rich musical heritage.
There is a wide range of music genres that are all beautiful in their own way and they range from traditional music such as Carnatic music to folk and devotional music to the more modern music such as Telugu movie tracks. If you are interested in learning more about Telugu music, you are reading the right article. In the text below, we will explore some musical genres of Telugu and you will be able to find what each genre represents, as well as what are the famous artists in each genre. Let’s take a closer look:
1. Carnatic Music
Songs written in the Telugu language easily capture the essence and soul of this musical genre. Artists are often taught how to incorporate their very own musical details into the song, hence, there will be no two songs that sound the same. One of the most important roles in Carnatic songs is the language itself since it can easily reveal the writer’s thoughts, as well as personality.
The instruments used in this genre include veena, mandolin, violin, nadaswaram, and mridangam. A lot of people believe that folk music was created from this genre. The most famous songs of this music genre include Kalaharana, Pavamana, Deva Devam Bhajde, Rama Lalli, Nagumomu, and many more.
2. Folk Music
This genre of Telugu music is extremely popular in the rural areas of India and for most people, it has special importance. Various forms of folk music are still performed and created today like Burra Katha and Poli which are storytelling methods that have elements of dancing, singing, joking, praying, and poetry.
Burra Katha has two main themes which can either be mythological or one that focuses on modern social problems. If you want to check out some songs and musical genres from this article, check out Naasongs.
3. Modern Music
Just like almost all other states in vast India, the music and movie industry are closely intertwined in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The film industry in Telugu is often referred to as Tollywood which is the second biggest film industry after the well-known Bollywood.
Some of the most famous composers and artists in this genre are Ghantasala, Devi Sri Prasad, Ramana Gogula, Mani Sharma, and so on. For instance. S.P. Balasubrahmanyam is the most famous playback singer in the Telugu film industry and he received 25 Nandi Awards which I the highest music award that can be received in the Telugu movie industry. Some modern Telugu movie songs include Prathi Roju Pandage, Endhuko Emo, Naa Kallalona, Prema Vennela, and so on.
Conclusion
Besides the genres mentioned in this article, there are also other genres that have songs that are deep, have hidden meaning, and that have impacted a lot of people across India. And, if you want to figure out what makes them so distinctive and special, choose some songs from this article and give them a listen, you might be surprised by how they might make you feel.
Rhydian Choi 
Nina Smith 