The musical heritage of Andhra Pradesh is rich. The state was ruled by kings of many dynasties like Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Kakatiyas, Chalukyas, Vijayanagaram rulers, Qutb Shahis, Mughals, andAsaf Jahis. These rulers have contributed immensely to development of monuments, temples, mosques, art and crafts, dance, music and literature, thus enriching the cultural heritage of the state. These rulers also influenced the Andhra Pradesh Music. Telugu language, the official language of Andhra Pradesh is the soul of Andhra Pradesh music. Some of the famous composers of the region are Thyagaraja, Syama Sastri, Mudduswami Dikshita, Annamacharya and Bhadrachala Ramadasa. Famous vocalists include Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Srirangam Gopalaratnam, Sarangapani and Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana. Andhra Pradesh music strictly adheres to the Indian Classical music and follows all the rules of tal and rag.
The people of Andhra Pradesh are very close to music. So many people try to excel in it by opting for proper training in Andhra Pradesh music. The various institutions that offer B.A. in Music are:
- Andhra University in Vishakhapatnam
- Nagarjuna University in Nagarjuna Nagar
- Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha in Tirupati
- Shri Krishnadevaraya University in Anantpur
- Sri Venkateshwara University in Tirupati
