Karnataka is a state of India with a long tradition of innovation in the

Basaveshwara, King of Kalyana, leader of the Bhakti movement and Prime Minister of Bijjala, created his Vachanas, an integral part of the Indian classical music's development during this period, which also saw the rise of composers like Chandraja, Shantala, Akka Mahadevi and Allama. Later, Vidyaranya's Sangitasara, Ventamakhin's Chaturdandi Prakashika and Chaturkallinatha's Sangitaratnakara further refined these traditions.

With the rise of Vaishnavism and the Haridasa movement came Karnataka composers like Purandaradasa, whose Kannada language works were complex, devotional and philosophical, as well as Kanakadasa, Vijayadasa and Jagannathadasa. Later came the Wodeyars of Mysore, great patrons of the arts, who helped support composers like Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, Veene Sheshanna, Veene Subbanna, Bidaram Krishnappa, Muthiah Bhagavatar, Bhairavi Kempegowda, Mysore Vasudevaraya and T. Chowdiah.

Hindustani classical musicians from Karnataka include Mallikarjun Mansoor, Bhimsen Joshi, Basavraj Rajguru, Nagarajarao Havaldar and Gangubai Hanagal.