Kannada music has a long tradition of innovations and improvising in the fields of both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music. Many sites provide with free download rare traditional old Kannada songs mp3 and also latest fresh hot hit new Kannada songs mp3. Many of the sites also have lyrics databases, videos, video clips; remix Kannada songs and the instrumental versions of these songs downloadable for free. 

The rise of composers like Chandraja, Shantala, Akka Mahadevi and Allama was seen during the period of reign of Basaveshwara, King of Kalyana, leader of the Bhakt movement and Prime Minister of Bijjala who also created Vachanas, an integral part of the Indian classical music's development during this period itself. These traditions were further refined later by Vidyaranya's Sangitasara, Ventamakhin's Chaturdandi Prakashika and Chaturkallinatha's Sangitaratnakara.

Karnataka composers like Purandaradasa, whose Kannada language works were complex, devotional and philosophical, emerged with the rise of Vaishnavism and the Haridasa movement. Others were Kanakadasa, Vijaya Dasa and Jagannathadasa. Later came the Wodeyars of Mysore, great patrons of the arts, who helped support composers like Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, Veene Sheshanna, Veene Subbanna, Bidaram Krishnappa, Muthiah Bhagavatar, Bhairavi Kempegowda, Mysore Vasudevaraya and T. Chowdiah.Hindustani classical musicians from Karnataka include Mallikarjun Mansoor, Bhimsen Joshi, Basavraj Rajguru, Nagarajarao Havaldar and Gangubai Hanagal.

The modern day Kannada music is an amalgamation of the works of these great musicians that is it’s a blend of traditional Kannada music and western genres.