According to a study by Israel-based event technology business SeatPick, Chennai has been ranked 32 on a global list of cities that are music hotspots, scoring 6.36 out of 10. The report claims that Chennai has a strong music scene, thanks to the late violinist Lalgudi G Jayaraman's birthplace and the presence of the alternative rock group "the F16s" there. London, Los Angeles, and Chicago are in the top three. Before the time of Jayaraman, Chennai—known for its classical Carnatic music—produced vocal doyens like M S Subbulakshmi, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

Before the time of Jayaraman, Chennai—known for its classical Carnatic music—produced vocal doyens like M S Subbulakshmi, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

The history of Chennai is intriguing because, despite being well-known for its energy during the chilly December period is known as the margazhi (a Tamil month) season when the city's calendar is packed with music and dance performances, the art space coexists with the indie band the F16s, which is made up of four men. They have a huge fan base thanks to their classical rock band format, and American vocalist Sameer Gadhia classified them as people who rebel against social norms in his podcast Point of Origin.

In order to determine the top destinations for music enthusiasts to visit, the study examined international cities with thriving music cultures. According to the report, Chennai is said to have 68 music venues, including the Idam Arts & Cultural Space. Varanasi came in at number 49 on the list with a rating of 4.23 out of 10 and was the only other Indian city to feature on the list. Four music festivals, including the Mahindra Kabira Festival, are held in Varanasi, which is also the hometown of the renowned composer Ravi Shankar.