While the rock scene in India is comparatively small—filmi music takes the cake in terms of popularity—it’s found its own expression in the form of “raga rock.” Most people date the origins of that east-meets-west fusion to the 1960s, when bands like the Beatles began visiting India, returning home in Nehru suits to make songs like “Norwegian Wood,” widely considered to be the first western pop song to showcase the sitar. The term “raga rock” itself was actually coined by the publicist for The Byrds, another band that was heavily influenced by Indian music. Collaborations between these western artists and Indian musicians like Ravi Shankar and Zakir Hussein further solidified the genre.

Of course no discussion of rock-and-roll and India can end without mention of Farrokh Bomi Bulsara—more commonly known as Freddy Mercury, of the legendary band Queen. Born to Indian parents in Zanzibar, Mercury did most of his growing up in Panchgani, just about 150 miles from Mumbai. Influenced by western giants like Led Zepplin and Jimi Hendrix, Mercury also counted Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar amongst his early idols.