Kerala has shared the general musical culture of peninsular India from the earliest times. South Indian music is generally known as 'Karnatic music' because of its common features. Each region of the south has its own culture and musical tradition. 

Kerala with its rich traditional, vocal and instrumental music has enriched the cultural heritage of India. The ancient population for the propitiation of the deities of nature developed music. Koothu, Koodiyattam, Ashtapathiyattam, Krishnanattam, Ramanattam, Kathakali etc. gave impetus to music as in all these performances songs had a place of pride. The Kathakali padas compossed by a galaxy of scholars like Irayimman Thampy and the thullal songs of Kunchan Nambiar also contributed considerably to the growth of the musical culture of Kerala. 

FOLK MUSIC

Kerala having an enviable record in the field of folk and light music, was enriched by the Vadakkan Pattukal, The Thekkan Pattukal, Kalyanappattukal, Mappila Pattukal etc. Further, numerous songs were composed in connection with, the 'kaikottikkali', 'Kummi', 'Kolattam', 'Ayappan Pattu' etc The boat songs or 'Vanchipattukal' also come under this category of songs. The feastivals as Onam, Thiruvathira, Pooram etc has their own songs. In recent days the songs composed for the Malayalam theatre and cinema are also very popular.

SOPANA SANGEETHAM

An indigenous classical music was developed in the temples of Kerala in the wake of the increasing popularity of the Jayadeva's 'Gita Govinda' or 'Ashtapathi'. Sopana Sangeetham is sung by the side of the steps (Sopanam) of Temple, with the accompaniment of the drum called 'Idakka'. The sopana sangitam in its traditional form is seen at its best among the Marars and Kurups, who were hereditary experts in Sopana Sangeetam. Now in Kerala, this form of music is very rare and found only in a few places like Guruvayoor, Vaikom, Ambalappuzha, Thrissur, Chottanikkara, Thrippunithura, Thrippayar etc. Njaralathu Ramapothuval was a leading artist in this field. 

SWATHI THIRUNAL KRITIS

A musician and a composer of high caliber, Swathi Thirunal was a generous patron of music and musicians. His contributions helped Malayalam to gain an important place in the field of Karnatic. The gifted musicians like Parameswara Baghavather of Palaghat and Maliyekkal Krishna Marar adorned his court. He composed numerous Karnatic and Hindustani songs in popular ranges and tunes. Apart from Swathi Thirunal, there were other distinguished local musicians namely, Shadkala Govinda Marar, a native of Ramamangalam near Muvattupuzha with a celestial voice. Irayimman Thampi, a close associate and composer of great merit. Even after the age of Swathi Thirunal, the tradition of Kerala music continued unsullied. The names prevalent in this field were Kuttikunju Thankachi, K. C Kesavamenon and Attur Krishnapisharoti, Kuttamathu, Yoganandadasa and musicians like Vina Kalyanakrishna Bhagavather, Palghat Mani Ayar and Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavather. 

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC 

The instrumental music of Kerala is vivid and colorful with a large number of musical instruments like Mridangam, Dolak, Udukku, Chenda, Timila, Edakka, Takil and a few others represent the percussion type. Nadaswaram, Kombu, Kuzhal, Mughavina etc the wind instruments and the stringed instruments, Vina, Tamburu, Sarangi, Violin and Swarabi. The Chendamelam has become indispensable for all temple festivals of Kerala. 'Thayampaka' is another typical temple vadya. 'Panchavadyam', unique temple art, which is a combination of sounds menacing from five principal musical instruments, Madhalam, Edakka, Thimila, Kombu and Elathalam; in addition to this two auxiliaries are also used, Sankhu and Kuzhal. 

MAPPILA PATTUKAL

The Muslim arts forms reflect the day-to-day life of the community through the songs, which are generally known as Mappila Pattukal. These songs represent a long tradition of a happy blending of Arab and local elements of music. The language used in these songs represents a mixture of Arab, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, Sanskrit and Kannada. It is believed that the rich literature of Mappila songs has a long history going back to 700 years. The oldest known Mappila songs were mostly devotional dealing with the life of religious people. The earlier songs were extremely lyrical, highly imaginative and humanistic and earthly. These songs sung in rituals, household ceremonies like marriage and as a vocal accompaniment for dances. Love, heroism and devotion to God are the basic sentiments in these songs. The working people among the Muslim sing these songs to minimize the monotony and weariness of labor.

CHRISTIAN SONGS

There were a lot of Christian songs in the pattu literature, which were meant to propagate the Christian faith. One of the main songs deals with the life and deeds of St. Thomas. In the songs there is a touch of western music but the tunes are not all western. There is a very interesting blending of the folk tunes of Kerala. "Hitta Hinda Teyyakka Timrutai" forms the rhythmic basis for the lines. It is not the exact metre that is fixed by the meaningless syllables but only the pattern of rhythm. These songs were popular among the Christians converted from the lower castes of Hindu society whereas the aristocratic church songs, especially those sung in mass. It used to keep stronger ties with the Suriani music. But slowly these also came to be influenced by the folk tunes.