The popularity of rock music in India isn’t a new phenomenon as some like to believe. It isn’t something that came to India post liberalization or a byproduct of the MTV generation. Yes, the numbers of rock music fans and lovers have definitely grown exponentially in the last two decades but this genre’s seeds of popularity were sown in the 60s. When The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were winning hearts all over the world they had their fair share of worshippers in cities like Calcutta and Bombay. Cut to the present day and you have Indian rock fans all over the country. But there are some cities where “rock is the reason rock is the rhyme” (remember School of Rock!) and if you are young rock music fan in India here is where you should be -

• Shillong

Often dubbed as the ‘Rock Capital of India’ the Scotland of the East is one of the citadels of rock music in the country. There is no other place in the country which perhaps has as many rock music fans per capita as Shillong does. Don’t be surprised if you hear some of the popular Led Zeppelin or Metallica numbers play out from on a cab’s stereo. Hosting festivals like NH7 Weekender every year the city has played host to several international bands and has more than a dozen of homegrown bands.

• Kolkata

In the transition from Calcutta to Kolkata, the City of Joy may have lost its premiere position as a flag bearer of rock music in the country. But it was here in the 70s that several clubs and restaurants would play the most popular numbers for their customers. Today it is home to several India rock bands performing regularly in English and Bangla.

• Bangalore

Though not one of the original hotbeds of rock music in the country, the Silicon Valley of India has become the nerve center of rock music in the recent years. Much of it is owed to the young demography of the city where highly paid young professionals have embraced this genre of music seriously. As a testimony, no top band tours India without performing a gig in Bangalore!

• Pune

– Much like Bangalore, Pune too owes the popularity of rock music to the young crowd of students and IT professionals who have settled in here from different parts of the country. Known as the ‘Oxford of the East’ thanks to a large number of educational institutions it is always on the map of the top bands and also has a number of homegrown bands.

• Ziro

Not many people may have even heard the name of this small and beautiful town in the foothills of Himalaya. But since 2012 it has become a pilgrimage for Indian rock fans thanks to the Ziro Music Festival. It offers independent bands a platform to showcase their talent and energize the audience. This has helped many budding bands from the region gain popularity among rock music lovers in the country.

• Mumbai

Well, how can we not mention the tinsel town as one of the places to be for any rock music fan? This city hosts more international rock bands and singers than any other in the country and serves the first Pitstop for any Indian tour. And not to forget it has its fair share of local bands.

• Delhi

Last but not the least the city of ‘sarkari babus’ is also one the forts of rock music in the country. Its large young student crowd forms the core rock followers in the city where local and international bands perform throughout the year in college and university festivals.  The Holi Cow Festival and NH7 Weekender are eagerly awaited by rock fans in Delhi.