Bollywood wouldn’t be Bollywood without its music. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that music is the soul of Bollywood. Here are some of the music composers, who have given Indian cinema some of its best and eternally memorable songs over the years.

R. D. Burman

R.D. Burman is unquestionably one of the music composers who revolutionized the music of Indian cinema. His style of music was greatly influenced by Western, Arabic, Latin, Oriental music which he fused with Indian music to create his compositions. He is a recipient of three film fare awards and innumerable other accolades in his three and a half decade long career. Some of his many immortal musical tracks include his compositions in films like Yaadon ki baarat (1973), The great gambler (1979), Padosan (1968), Caravan (1971), Sholay (1975).

P.Nayyar

One of the most prominent music composers of Indian cinema is Omkar Prasad Nayyar more popularly known as O.P.Nayyar. He started his career in the early 1950s and was renowned for his melodious peppy music.  In his four and a half decade long career, he composed music for several films including Mr and Mrs 55 (1955), CID (1956) and for the 1957 film Naya Daur for which he also won the film fare award for Best Music.

Kalyanji Anandji

The music director duo Kalyanji- Anandji were amongst the most acclaimed music composers of Indian cinema. In their four and a half decade long career, Kalyanji Virji Shah and Anandji Virji Shah together composed music for over 200 films including films like Don (1978), Muqaddar ka Sikandar (1978) and Kora Kagaz in 1974 for which they also won a film fare award.

Bappi Lahiri

Known as the Disco King, Bappi Lahiri is one of the most eminent music composers of Bollywood. He started his career in Bollywood in 1973 with the film Nanha Shikari and is considered to be one of the pioneers in introducing disco music to Indian cinema. He has composed music for over 50 Bollywood films including Disco Dancer (1982), Namal Halal (1982) and Sharaabi (1984).  

Jatin Lalit

Jatin Pandit and his brother Lalit Pandit, popularly known as Jatin-Lalit are a music composer duo renowned for their mellifluous compositions especially in the 1990s. It’s quite impossible to come across a playlist of musical hits from the 90s, without a Jatin Lalit track in it.  They have composed music for films like Dilwale dulhania le jayenge (1995), Jo jeeta wohi sikandar (1992), Kabhi haan kabhi na (1994), Kuch kuch hota hai (1998), Ghulam (1998), Yes Boss (1997), Sarfarosh (1999), Fanaa (2006), Hum tum (2004) and many more. It’s hard to believe that despite the popularity and acclaim their music received, Jatin Lalit did not win a film fare award.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy

The trio of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa popularly known as Shankar Ehsaan Loy are amongst Bollywood’s finest of music composers. They started their career in the late 1990s with the film Shool (1999) but their major breakthrough came with the 2001 film Dil Chahta Hai for which they won the Film fare RD Burman award for new music talent. They are recipients of five film fare awards and have composed music for several commercially successful films including Kal Ho Na Ho (2003), Rock On (2008), Taare Zameen par (2007), Wake up Sid (2009), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), 2 States (2014) and many more.    

Vishal Shekhar

Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani, popularly known as Vishal Shekhar, are a music composer duo known for their compositions in films like Salaam Namaste (2005), Tararum pum (2007), Om shanti om (2007), Anjana Anjani (2010), Student of the year (2012), Chennai Express (2013), Hasee toh Phasee (2014), Bang bang (2014), Bharat (2019). They started their career in the late 1990s with the film Pyaar mei kabhi kabhi (1999) and have composed music for over 50 Bollywood films.

A. R. Rahman

Known as the Musical Wizard, A.R.Rahman is indubitably one of the greatest music composers of Indian cinema with 15 film fare awards to his name. He is also a recipient of numerous other accolades including two Academy awards and two Grammy awards for the 2008 film Slum dog Millionaire. He started his career in 1992 with Mani Ratnam’s Roja for which he also won a Film fare award and a National film award for Best Music. Rahman’s music is acclaimed not just in India, but across the globe. Some of his prominent compositions in Bollywood include tracks from films like Lagaan (2001), Saathiya (2002),  Swades (2004), Rang de Basanti (2006), Guru (2007), Jaane tu ya jaane na (2008), Jab tak hai jaan (2012).