Iranian rock

Early years#

Rock music was introduced in Iran by the 1960s, together with the arrival of other Western musical genres in the country’s music industry. Iranian rock music was developed by the emergence of artists such as Farhad Mehrad, Kourosh Yaghmaei, The Dangers and Scorpio . It soon grew as a popular musical genre among the young generation, especially at the nightclubs of Tehran and Abadan.

Couchini Restaurant#

The origin of many Iranian rock artists, including Farhad and the Black Cats, is Couchini Restaurant. The restaurant was founded by Vida Ghahremani in the early 1960s. Farhad Mehrad played the piano at this restaurant and was the lead singer of the Black Cats group. He also sings the songs of Ray Charles. The Americans in that area had given Farhad the nickname “Ray Charles of Iran”. Ebi also performed his first performance at Couchini Restaurant. After the Black Cats became famous, they no longer performed at the restaurant. That’s why other groups like Scorpio replaced them. In general, Couchini Restaurant was the most important place to cultivate Iranian rock music.

Kourosh Yaghmaei#

Kourosh Yaghmaei began releasing his albums in 1971. He brought a lot of innovation to Iranian rock. Kourosh Yaghmaei released two albums before being banned, both of which are important works of Iranian rock. According to Ebrahim Nabavi (author of the book Basement music): “Kourosh Yaghmaei has had a profound impact on Psychedelic Rock in Iran.” Kourosh Yaghmaei is known as the father of Iranian rock because of his deep influence on Iranian rock music. After the Islamic Revolution, Yaghmaei was banned from performing for seventeen years. During that time he worked for children and published books and cassettes. In 1987, he released his fourth solo instrumental album Diar which was recorded without bass, guitar and drums, as dictated by the Iranian government. In addition, Yaghmaei arranged folkloric pieces to be played by the Great National Orchestra.Between 2003 and 2006, Yaghmaei worked with his last studio album titled Malek Jamshid. 17 18 After 12 years of trying to obtain the required permit from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the authority denied to release this album in Iran. Latter in 2016, since two years of restriction not to use types of equipment such as acoustic system, sound engineering, professional microphones, amplifiers, Roland keyboard, electric guitar, 8 track recorder and other necessary equipment 17 9 the album was released by Now-Again in United States and the album was banned by the Iranian government. 8 17 He released debut compilation Back from the Brink: Pre-Revolution Psychedelic Rock from Iran: 1973–1979 in 2011. 19 20 A two-disc celebration of Yaghmaei’s most well-known numbers, recorded between 1973 and 1979, before the Islamic Revolution. 21 In 2018 Nas sampled an Old Persian Song called " Gole Yakh " by @kourosh.yaghmaei for Adam and Eve

Habib Mohebian and Fereydoon Foroughi, pioneers of blues rock#

Fereydoon Foroughi began his work a year after Farhad Mehrad. His debut album Zendoone Del was one of the first albums of Iranian blues rock. Fereidun Foroughi’s scratchy voice greatly contributed to his reputation. His most famous song is “yar dabestani man” sweetheart. Fereydoun Foroughi’s work ended with this album. The bad sales of this album made it impossible to release another album. With the Iranian Revolution happening, the voice of Fereydoun Foroughi was never heard again. Although Fereydoon Foroughi’s work was not long, his influence on rock music is significant. In 1977, Habib Mohebian began preparing his first album. Four months ago Habib’s mother released the album. Habib sang a song called “Mother” because of her mother’s death that was used in the album. Habib Mohebian has two other self-titled songs, “Lonely Night Man” and “My Shahla”, both of which are on his first album. Until the Iranian Revolution, Habib only had the opportunity to release another album called Hello Neighbor. After the revolution, Habib stayed in Iran until 1983 and then moved to Los Angeles. His most notable work during this period was “Swamp Crabs”, an important work in blues rock. Habib returned to Iran in 2009. Habib did little work until the end of his life and died in 2016.

Tehran Sound#

The number of rock bands gradually increased, each performing in cafes and restaurants. Some of these bands, such as The Raptures, The Robles, The Dangers, and Golden Ring, have released albums. Most of the works published by these groups did not succeed. Tehran Sound had almost disappeared by the dissolution of key groups such as the Golden Ring by 1977. One of the last artists to call themselves a member of Tehran Sound was Faramarz Aslani, who blended flamenco with rock. Tehran Sound ended with the start of the Iranian Revolution.

Astara#

In 1969 and 1970 Golden Ring first introduced rock garage into Iranian rock music. The most important Astara rock band was Cheshm Azar Group, founded by Nasser Cheshm Azar. The song “God of the heavens” is the band’s most popular song, which many have covered. Other highlights of Astara are the miracles.

Mashhad#

The Sinners and Pepe Flovy were active rock bands in Mashhad. In 1966, The Sinners performed “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” at the hall of Mohammad Reza Shah. Andranik Asaturian formed the Super Five band in 1969. This band was one of the first examples of jazz fusion in Iran. the Super Five lasted only a year.

Abadan#

The Herbs group was formed in Abadan. Some members of this group later joined the Scorpio group. Martik and Mehdi Khashe were both from Abadan, playing guitar for Mehdi Rahmati’s orchestra. In 1971, Martik and Mehdi Khasheh were separated from the Mehdi Rahmati Orchestra. Martik and Mehdi Khashe, along with Firouz Sarkarde, Behrouz Lari, Mohammad Moradi and Hossein Hosseini formed the Son Soul Brothers band. The group was originally covering foreign works such as Pastime Paradise. The band have been making their own songs since 1972, with the most successful being “Cheshmaye To” in 1975. “Cheshmaye To” was listed in the number 90 list of my network and you as “Top 100 Persian Songs”. Son Soul Brothers was the first Iranian band to perform a disco song. The group was dissolved in 1977.

The role of Armenians#

The Armenians were very capable musicians. Viguen was a pioneer in the integration of pop music with Persian poetry. Artoush and his band The Wonders also pioneered the creation of symphony rock in Iran. But Artosh’s work was not well known, and Artosh remained anonymous until his death in 2018. Varoujan, a great Armenian musician, had arranged many popular Iranian songs. He died of cardiac arrest very early in his forties. Like many other Armenian singers, Georges Hvansian tried to imitate Viguen.

After the 1979 Revolution#

Rock music started after the revolution and before the presence of internet activities in the era of President Rafsanjani with the performance of Kaveh Yaghmaei and Babak Amini in Tehran. Kaveh Yaghmai performed rock music and sold tickets for the first time in Tehran, which was met with great reception from the people.

Kaveh Yaghmaei#

Kaveh Yaghmaei is one of the most influential Iranian musicians, composers, and arrangers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He is recognized for revitalizing rock music in Iran and blending Western and Iranian musical traditions.

Early life and education#

Kaveh was born into a musical family and is the son of Kourosh Yaghmaei, a legendary Iranian musician and pioneer of psychedelic rock. He began playing guitar at the age of eight and attended the Tehran Conservatory of Music, the most prestigious music school in Iran before the 1979 revolution. After the temporary closure of music schools, Kaveh continued his education under his father’s guidance. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Guitar from Azad University of Tehran. During his formative years, he developed a strong interest in progressive rock, a style not formally taught in Iran at the time. His musical influences include Baroque and Classical music, as well as rock icons such as Deep Purple, Rush, Supermax, Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck, AC/DC, Camel, The Ventures, Dire Straits, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons, and Eric Clapton.

Career#

Kaveh Yaghmaei emerged as a leading figure in Iran’s post-revolution rock scene. He became known for his innovative arrangements, live performances, and fusion of Western rock styles with Iranian musical elements. He has collaborated with both Iranian and international artists, contributing guitars, vocals, and arrangements to various projects. Several of his works have been remixed by international musicians, including Kanye West and Nas, and have been translated into multiple languages, including French, German, Arabic, and English.

Notable albums and singles#

• Matarsak (2003, U.S.) – Kaveh’s first solo album, which became one of Iran’s best-selling pop albums. An official concert DVD was also released, marking the first professional multitrack concert recording in Iran.
• Sokoot-e Sard (Cold Silence, 2007, U.S.) – His second album, released through Taraneh Records; featured songs that entered the PMC TV Top Twenty chart, with Avalin Harf reaching #1.
• Manshour (2016) – Became the bestselling pop-rock album in Iran that year.
• Adamhaye Shabzadeh (2021) – Released internationally.
• Singles: Mard e Ankabooti (Rock and Acoustic versions, 2022), Safar (with Shahrokh Izadkhah, 2017), Kouleh (2017), Dejavu (2017), and Havaye Taze (2024).

Collaborations and international work#

Kaveh has performed with musicians from Canada and the U.S., including Daniel Adair, Brian Poulsen, and Ben Kaplan. His concerts have taken place in Iran, Canada, and other countries, bridging Iranian music with global audiences.

Political and social activism#

Since 2019, Kaveh Yaghmaei has been actively engaged in cultural and musical initiatives supporting freedom and human rights in Iran. Through his compositions, collaborations, and live performances—both in Iran and internationally—he has contributed to raising awareness about the struggles of women and artists under oppressive regimes. His work often addresses themes of exile, censorship, and resistance, reflecting his personal experiences and his ongoing commitment to artistic freedom.

Awards and recognition#

• Winner of multiple Barbod awards for songwriting and arrangement.
• Recognized as a leading figure in reviving Iranian rock music post-1979.
• His album Manshour (2016), the bestselling pop-rock album in Iran, received the following awards:
• 2017 International Fajr Music Festival Award for Best Pop Album of the Year
• 2017 Musicema Festival Award for Best Pop-Rock Album of the Year (based on the opinions of music experts and notable professional musicians)
• 2017 Musicema Barbod and Nakisa Award for Best Pop-Rock Album of the Year (based on the opinions of music experts and notable professional musicians)
• 2017 Chelcheragh People’s Choice Award for Best Lyrics