Search for "Hindi music magazines" and you'll mostly find old listicles. The real story is better. Since 1935, Hindi-language magazines have printed raga explanations, song notations, lyrics and criticism for readers who heard music through the radio and the gramophone. This guide covers the key titles, what happened to them, and what still survives.
The print era
| Magazine | Started | Publisher / base | What it was known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sangeet (monthly) | 1935 | Sangeet Karyalaya, Hathras (UP), founded in 1932 as Garg and Co. by Prabhulal Garg ("Kaka Hathrasi") | Indian classical music and dance explained in plain Hindi, plus folk and film music, biographies and quizzes. Described as India's longest-running music journal. |
| Film Sangeet | 1956 | Sangeet Karyalaya, Hathras | Only Hindi film music: detailed song notations and musician features |
| Madhuri | 1964 (launched as Suchitra, renamed from its sixth issue) | Times of India group; editor Arvind Kumar | Family film magazine with heavy coverage of film music and lyrics; reader-written columns |
| Hindi Filmfare | late 1980s (Madhuri's successor) | Times group | Ceased in the early 1990s |
Sangeet is the anchor of this history. Kaka Hathrasi started it to take classical music beyond palaces and temples. A 1935 subscription cost Rs 2 a year, and that first year it carried an essay defending women's right to perform music professionally (Scroll).
Madhuri is the key film-music title. Ravikant's academic study of its first decade (1964–78) describes how the magazine invited readers to write in about songs, films and the cinema halls in their towns.
Why the format faded
Television, cassette inserts and later the internet took over the jobs these magazines did: lyrics, notations and gossip. English star magazines such as Filmfare (1952) and Stardust (1971) dominated film journalism, and Hindi music criticism shrank to newspaper columns.
Is anything still in print?
Yes, Sangeet. ThePrint (2021) and Scroll (2022) both reported that the Hathras monthly was still published every month without a break. It was print-only and priced at Rs 40, with subscriptions down to about 650 from a former print run of 3,000–4,000. Its long-time chief editor, Laxminarayan Garg (Kaka Hathrasi's son), died in 2022, and the family said it planned to keep publishing. Sangeet Karyalaya's website is still live. We haven't been able to confirm a 2026 issue, so contact the publisher before subscribing.
For English-language indie coverage, see our guide to independent music magazines in India and how to get covered by an indie music magazine.
FAQ
What is the oldest Hindi music magazine?
Sangeet, published monthly from Hathras since 1935 by Sangeet Karyalaya.
Who published Film Sangeet?
Sangeet Karyalaya in Hathras, the publishing house founded by Kaka Hathrasi.
Are there Hindi music magazines in print today?
Sangeet was still in print as of the 2021–22 reports, with about 650 subscribers. Hindi Filmfare and Madhuri have closed.
Explore more history and listening guides on our music hub.
Sources
- ThePrint, "Poet Kaka Hathrasi's music magazine, Sangeet, struggling" (2021): https://theprint.in/feature/brandma/poet-kaka-hathrasis-music-magazine-sangeet-struggling-not-in-tune-with-times/803913/
- Scroll, "Sangeet: India's oldest classical music magazine… after 87 years" (2022): https://scroll.in/magazine/1008254/after-an-unbroken-run-of-87-years-indias-oldest-classical-music-magazine-is-facing-a-bleak-future
- Sangeet Karyalaya, About us: https://www.sangeetkaryalaya.in/page/about-us
- Culturopedia, Film Journalism in India: https://culturopedia.com/film-journalism/
- Ravikant, "Popular Cinephilia in North India: Madhuri shows the way (1964–78)": https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315293813-10
- The Caravan, "Star Machine": https://caravanmagazine.in/reviews-and-essays/star-machine
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