Seven Indian music bands making a comeback

The last few years have seen an uptick in the number of bands reuniting worldwide—largely driven by nostalgia and financial incentives. Reunion tours abroad are boosting streaming numbers for bands that haven’t had a new hit song since the 2000s. Like English rock band Oasis, for instance, that got back together in 2024 after 15 years, or Linkin Park (2024), Guns N' Roses (2016), and The Smashing Pumpkins (2018).  

This phenomenon has had a trickle-down effect in India, with a wave of Indian music bands getting back together across genres. The 1990s and 2000s in India were defined by rock music bands; with time, however, a number of these bands split up owing to members moving countries, some getting busy with other projects, or the occurrence of unfortunate accidents. 

We list seven Indian music bands that have reunited to not only give long-time loyal listeners a dose of nostalgia but also introduce younger generations to the music from their parents’ younger days. The bands’ comebacks also mean that they are now releasing their music—both old and new—on popular streaming platforms that listeners can access easily, as opposed to the music they lost due to rapidly changing technology, from cassettes to CDs to pendrives. 

1. Indus Creed

This iconic rock band was founded in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1984 as Rock Machine but got its current nomenclature only in 1993. While the band started off as a cover band with Mahesh Tinaikar on lead guitar, Mark Selwyn on bass, Ian Santamaria on vocals, Aftab Currim on rhythm guitar, and Suresh Bhadricha on drums, playing rock, they also worked on their own music while performing across music and college festivals in the country. Indus Creed split in 1997 and regrouped in 2010 with a new lineup of tracks that also included Indian instruments like tabla and sarangi. The band has since made their presence felt slowly, performing rock anthems like Pretty Child (1990) and Cry (1995), and releasing new albums such as ‘Evolve’ (2012). Post-2022, they released a limited edition vinyl of ‘Evolve’, besides performing live at music festivals, gaining their footing again as one of the top Indian rock music bands. They headlined Mahindra Independence Rock in 2024, three decades after the video of their single Pretty Child won the Asia-wide MTV Video Music Award in 1994. 

IG: @induscreednow

2. Zero

When this Mumbai band was formed as a result of an impromptu performance at IIT Mumbai's music festival Mood Indigo in 1998, little did they know they were going to be on the most popular rock music bands in the country. That moment created such magic that they stuck around for a decade. Their line-up changed around 2008 when their lead vocalist Rajeev Talwar moved countries and lead guitarist Warren Mendonsa left too. Rock Machine’s keyboard player Zubin Balaporia and guitarist Mahesh Tinaikar both played as guest musicians with Zero. But, the band that rose to fame for their original compositions like Old Man Sitting on the Back Porch, Love Song, and Hate in Em, disbanded soon after they performed at Independence Rock in Mumbai in 2008. They had a reunion performance a year later—a tradition they continued well into 2024 at the Badland Festival. 

IG: @whatmezero

3. Joint Family

This nu-metal/metalcore band that came together in 2004, had an original lineup comprising Akshay De (vocals), Rahul Sainani (guitar), Rohit Amwan (guitar), Shardul Mehta (drums), and the late Clarence Gonsalves (bass). The band shot to popularity with their onstage energy and was playing at major festivals like Hornbill Music Festival (2006) even before their debut album ‘Hotbox’ released in 2007. But following the passing of Gonsalves and after a few other members moved countries, the band went quiet in 2014.

A decade later, Joint Family made a comeback at Outrage Festival 2024, with Danik Ghosh on bass, Shashvat Pandit and Rahul Sainani on guitars, and Shashank Bhatnagar on vocals, besides Mehta on drums. The band is back on the map as one of the top Indian music bands. They even performed at the Hornbill Festival in 2025 to mark 20 years since the band was first formed. 

IG: @jointfamilyofficial

4. The Original Gazeka (previously Grammy Winning Effort)

Formed in 2011, Grammy Winning Effort was a metal band that took off at a time when Indian rock music bands had already garnered popularity. They immediately took over the underground scene before they played at music festivals like NH7 Weekender in 2016, a year after releasing their self-titled debut album. The band was known for their DIY-energy and satirical lyrics in songs like Midget Marathon, Keeper Of The Sun, and The Roads. However, the members parted ways soon after, suddenly going quiet.

The band returned in 2026, but in a revamped avatar. The  lineup comprises Dayus Madhan on vocals, Suyash Gabriel on drums, Shashvat Pandit on guitar, and a new addition: Roshan Roy on bass. The band is now renamed as  The Original Gazeka, under which they have already remastered and re-released songs from nearly a decade ago.  

IG: @theoriginalgazeka

5. Run It’s the Kid 

Formed in 2014, this Delhi-based band became popular as one of the Indian fusion music bands​ that melded folk and rock. They shot to fame with their moody, almost genre-bending music, with songs like Forgetting How to Swim and  Love We're Made From Porcelain. Run It’s the Kid included Shantanu Pandit (vocals and guitar), Dhruv Bhola (guitar and keys), Bhairav Gupta (drums), and Danik Ghosh (bass). They released a self-titled album in 2016, after which the band went silent as members got involved in other projects (Bhola joined Peter Cat Recording Co.). In 2025, the ensemble released a new single, Hourglass, complete with a video. Today, the band primarily comprises Pandit and Bhola, and are releasing melancholic tunes besides being more acoustic and folk-like. 

IG: @Runitsthekid

6.Them Clones

This iconic Indian alternative rock band came together in 2000 in a bedroom in Delhi. Later, the vocalist and drummer—brothers and flatmates—had to vacate the flat. But the lineup comprising Surojit Dev (drums), Prithwish Dev (vocals), Joseph Lalhmachhuana (guitar), Gucci Singh (guitar), and the late Clarence Gonsalves (bass), stayed strong, taking over the Delhi University college circuit. Even though their original releases like Zephyretta (2010), All About A Heartbreak (2012), and Speak When I'm Gone (2013) became legendary, a couple of lineup changes later, the band discontinued its electrifying live performances besides putting a pause on new releases. After a hiatus of seven years the band came together in 2024 to perform with a new addition—Akshay Raheja (keyboards/samples)— proving why they were one of the early alternative rock bands that paved the way for the genre in India. 

IG: @themclonesindia

7. Motherjane

Formed in 1996, originally as a college band, this Kerala ensemble became the ethnic progressive rock band to watch out for in the 1990s and 2000s. They took matters into their own hands when they released their debut album, ‘Insane Biography’, in 2002. Their later songs like Fields of Sound (2008) and Blood in the Apple (2008), gained popularity as they performed across the country along with other Indian music bands. With guitarist Baiju Dharmajan leaving in 2010, Motherjane disbanded in 2012

Over a decade later, the band got back in 2024 for a reunion with original members Suraj Mani (vocals/lyrics) and Dharmajan, besides Deepu Sasidharan, Alan Santosh, and Alloy Francis. After their comeback show in Kochi, Motherjane performed at Mahindra Independence Rock as well as Hornbill Music Festival in 2024. 

IG: @motherjaneofficial

Whether it’s because of the demand for nostalgia or just musicians being able to take out time to dive into their passion once again, the instances of Indian music bands reuniting is literal music to one’s ears. And a hopeful one at that—revealing that music is indeed timeless.