> 1000 BC

• Sama Veda

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• Chants to Vedic hymns

• Parivrajaka Upanishad 
• Early Tamil school

• Narada

• Equivalent of Swara system defined

• Natya Sastra
• Silappadikaram

• Bharata 
• Ilango Adigal

• Treatise on Dance and music (references to Tala, musical modes & forms)

• References to Tamil music concepts

• Brihaddesi

• Matanga

• Early compilation of Ragas, then known as Jaatis

• Kudimiyanmalai inscriptions (stone) in Pudukottai district, Tamilnadu

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• Musical notations (Probably the first)

• Tevaram
• Tirumurai
• Divyaprabandha

• Appar
• Sundaramurti
• Tirugnanasambandar
• Manikkavachakar
• Other Nayanmars & Azhwars

• Sacred Tamil music forms
• Pann concept

• Gita Govinda

• Sangeeta Makaranda

• Panditaradhya Charita

• Sangeeta Sudhakara

• Jayadeva

• Narada

• Palkuriki Somanatha

• Haripaladeva

• Classification of Gamakas
• Various srutis identified

• Sangeeta Ratnakara

• Sarngadeva

• Desi system of music was explained in detail.

• The 22-sruti concept was born.

• Distinction between Marga and Desi given.

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• Gradual emergence of Tanjavur and Vijayanagar as seats of music.

• Muslim invasion of North India.

• Development of Hindustani music.

• Raga Tarangini

• Sangeeta Sara

• Lochana Kavi

• Vidyaranya (1320 - 1380 AD)

• Development of the concept of Raga alapana. 

• Tiruppugazh

• Arunagirinathar

• Purandaradasa (1484 - 1564)

• Annamacharya (1424 - 1503)

• Kanakadasa

• Introduction and structuraing of basic music lessons.

• Evolution of kriti, pada formats

• Growth of Namasankeertana and Bhajana Paddhati (group rendition of devotional music).

• Swaramela Kalanidhi

• Ramamatya

• Explanation of the word Mela, Vina techniques and other musical concepts.

• Raga Vibodha

• Somanatha

• Sangeeta Parijata

• Ahobala

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• Chaturdandi Prakasika

• Venkatamakhi

• Evolution of modern music theory.
• Development of 72-mela system.

• Anupa Sangeeta Vilasa

• Bhavabhatta Shahoji, Maharaja of Tanjavur (1684 - 1710)

• Patronage of music and composers.

• Sangraha Choodamani

• Govindacharya

• Development of musical forms like Varnams.
• Musical treatise with the 72-melakarta scheme along with names written.

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• Trinity of Carnatic music - Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri
• Other Tamil composers like Gopalakrishna Bharati

• Regarded as the Golden era of Carnatic music.

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• Composers like Subbaraya Sastri, Swati Tirunal, Tachi Singaracharlu, Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer, Patnam Subramanya Iyer, Vina Seshanna and Subbarama Dikshitar

• Carnatic music became richer with more compositions.

• Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarsini

• Composers like Papanasam Sivan, Koteeswara Iyer, Mysore Vasudevachar, Muthaiah Bhagavatar 

• Muthuswami Dikshitar's compositions with notations published through the Sampradaya Pradarsini.
• Concepts like Gamakas etc explained in the same.
• Emergence of Sabhas.
• Golden era for Carnatic concert scene.
• Emergence of institutional education for music.
• Development of mass media like radio and recording companies.
• Influx of patriotic songs in the wake of the Indian freedom movement.
• Carnatic music came to be adopted in film music.

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• Technological developments as a result of the electronic and computer age.
• Adoption of western instruments like Guitar, Mandolin, Keyboard etc in the concert scene.
• Arrival of TV, cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs, VCDs etc.
• Growth and globalisation of professional music.