Agam () is an Indian Carnatic

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

band based in

Bangalore, Karnataka Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

, formed in the year 2003. The band is renowned for its unique fusion of

Carnatic music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

with

elements. Agam gained significant commercial recognition with the release of ''Malhar Jam'', which was featured on '' MTV's Coke Studio'' and included in their debut album, ''The Inner Self Awakens (2012).'' Over the years, the band's subsequent career has included extensive touring, collaborations with notable artists within the Indian music scene, and contributions to film music compositions.

History

Agam was formed in Bengaluru by a group of college musicians who shared a deep passion for progressive rock and Indian classical music. The band derived its name from the

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

word 'Agam', meaning 'inner self', reflecting their introspective and experimental musical approach. In their early days, Agam focused on blending Carnatic ragas with Western

, creating a unique sound that became a defining element of the band's identity. Each member brought unique musical influences that shaped Agam's distinctive sound. Harish Sivaramakrishnan, a trained Carnatic vocalist with over 30 years of classical music experience, infused traditional South Indian elements into their compositions. Praveen Kumar Thyagarajan, the lead guitarist, was deeply influenced by metal music, contributing to Agam’s progressive rock edge. Ganesh Ram Nagarajan had diverse musical interests, spanning both Western genres and Indian classical music. Swaminathan Seetharaman brought in influences from

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

, and

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...

, adding another layer of diversity to the band's sound. This eclectic mix of backgrounds led to the development of Agam’s signature Carnatic progressive rock sound. In 2007, the band had their first major breakthrough after winning ''Ooh La La La'', a music reality show hosted by Sun TV and judged by

A. R. Rahman Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967), also known by the initialism ARR, is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and philanthropist known for his works in Indian cinem ...

. Their performances introduced them to a national audience, and the exposure led to widespread recognition in India's Indie music scene.

Career

2012–2013: ''The Inner Self Awakens'' (debut album), and awards

Following the band's breakthrough from the reality show, Agam released their debut album, ''The Inner Self Awakens'', in October 2012. It showcased a seamless fusion of

Carnatic classical music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

and

. The album was defined by its intricate

raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

s, heavy guitar work, layered vocal harmonies, and violin solos, all structured around unconventional time signatures and rhythmic patterns. The album received critical acclaim for its innovative combination of two distinct musical traditions. The band collaborated with

Shreya Ghoshal Shreya Ghoshal (; born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer. Noted for her wide vocal range and versatility, she is one of the most prolific and influential singers of India. Often referred to as the "Queen of Dynamics'' for her remarkable voc ...

on the track "Live Again", created to raise awareness for breast cancer. In 2012, the band received two awards from Bite My Music Global Awards. They won Best Collaboration for their song "Live Again" featuring

and Best Instrumental for the track "Brahma's Dance". The band gained a growing fan base and established its presence in the indie music scene. Their unique fusion style and energetic live performances made them a standout act. In 2013, Agam received the MTV Indies Push Artist of the Year award, recognising their rising influence in the alternative music scene. They were known for their high-energy live performances and innovative compositions that fuse Carnatic elements with progressive rock, contributing to their growing reputation in the contemporary music scene.

2014: ''MTV Coke Studio'' (Season 2) Feature

In 2014, Agam was featured on ''MTV Coke Studio'' (Season 2), where they performed their original composition "Malhar Jam". The performance highlighted the band's ability to perform traditional

with contemporary

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

elements. The track garnered widespread acclaim, amassing millions of streams across various platforms. The performance also featured collaborations with prominent traditional percussionists Arshad Khan ( Khartal) and Annada Prasanna Pattanaik ( pakhawaj), enriching the sound with authentic Indian percussion textures.

2017: ''A Dream to Remember'' (studio album)

In November 2017, the band released their second studio album titled ''A Dream to Remember''. The album comprises nine tracks that interweave reimagined classical compositions with original works. Notably, it showcases revamped pieces such as "Subrahmanyena Rakshitoham" by

Muthuswamy Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar) (, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer, veena player, and a prolific composer of Indian classical music. He was the youngest member of what is r ...

, presented as "Onwards and Upwards", alongside fresh compositions like "Koothu Over Coffee". The album's production spanned two years and featured contributions from over 80 musicians, highlighting its ambitious scale. Particularly, the track "Kooth Over Kaapi" stands out for its romantic and metaphorical lyrics, incorporating a full orchestra and choir, reflecting the band's collaborative and experimental approach. Among the tracks featured on the album are "Rangapura Vihara", a reimagined rendition of

's composition, and "Mist of Capricorn", an adaptation of Saint Thyagaraja's "Manavyalakincharadate". These tracks exemplify Agam's unique fusion of Carnatic classical music with progressive rock elements.

2017– present: debut in film music, and US tour

That same year, Agam made its debut in film music composition with the bilingual Tamil-Malayalam film ''

Solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity * Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character * Napoleon Solo, fr ...

'', directed by

Bejoy Nambiar Bejoy Nambiar (born 12 April 1979) is an Indian film director, and screenwriter known for his work in Bollywood. He is mostly known for his critically acclaimed short films, ''Rahu'' and '' Reflections'', starring Mohanlal. He was the winner o ...

. The band composed two songs for the film: "Oru Vanchi Pattu", a reimagined version of their earlier track "The Boat Song", and "Thaalolam", a folk-influenced melody featuring Carnatic-progressive elements, sung by

Shashaa Tirupati Shashaa Kiran Tirupati (born 21 December 1989) is an Indian singer, songwriter, and music producer known for her work in the Indian film and music industries. Popularly known as "The Humma Girl", in 2018, she won the National Film Award for B ...

. These compositions were widely praised for their sonic textures and fresh approach to background scoring. In 2020, filmmaker Vinu Janardanan directed a 23-minute documentary titled ''The Agam Story'', chronicling the band's journey and musical evolution. The documentary was released on YouTube, offering fans an in-depth look into the band's history and creative process. Since their second album and foray into film music, Agam has continued to perform extensively across India and internationally. Agam has toured extensively across the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, with multi-city tours in both 2019 and 2023. Their performances in cities such as

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

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, and Phoenix, including dates in

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and

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, were frequently sold out shows. These shows showcased the band's distinctive Carnatic music and progressive rock style, primarily appealing to the Indian audience. The band aims to broaden their audience, introducing the traditions of Indian

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

to a global listenership.

Musical Style and Influences

Agam’s musical style is deeply regarded in Carnatic classical and

music, one of the oldest forms of Indian classical traditions. The band’s compositions and songwriting are heavily influenced by the Indian raga system, which forms the foundation of their melodic structure. Their music often showcases intricate raga-based arrangements, seamlessly blending traditional scales and rhythmic patterns with contemporary soundscapes. The band's sound is equally shaped by modern genres, incorporating progressive rock elements, including complex time signatures, dynamic song structures, and metal-inspired guitar riffs. Their arrangements feature a fusion of melodic improvisations typical of classical performances with the aggressive energy and textures found in progressive metal where traditional Indian aesthetics coexist with the raw intensity of rock, making Agam’s music resonate with both classical purists and modern music enthusiasts.

Discography

Studio Albums

Singles

Awards and recognition

* MTV Push Artist of the Year (2013) * Bite My Music Global Awards (2012) * Ooh La La La (2007)

Band members

Current members

* Harish Sivaramakrishnan - Lead Vocals * Praveen Kumar Thiyagarajan - Lead Guitars * Swaminathan Seetharaman - Keyboards, Lyricist * Sivakumar Nagarajan - Indian Percussions * Yadunandan Nagarajan - Drums * Jagdeesh Natarajan - Rhythm Guitars * Aditya Kasyap - Bass Guitars

Former members

* Ganesh Ram Nagarajan – Drums * Vignesh Lakshminarayanan – Bass Guitars * Suraj Satheesh – Rhythm Guitars * Vignesh Lakshminarayanan

References

External links

*

{{Authority control Indian progressive rock groups Musical groups established in 2003