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Mohd. Rafi Indian Vinyl Records - LPs and EPs

Mohammed Rafi (1924–1980) was born in Kotla Sultan Singh near Amritsar and trained in Hindustani classical music before moving to Bombay in 1944. Naushad was among his earliest champions, and across the next three decades Rafi became the most widely recorded male playback voice in Hindi cinema — equally convincing in a Shammi Kapoor rock-and-roll number, a Dilip Kumar tragedy, a qawwali, a bhajan or a patriotic song. He won six Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and sang for practically every leading man of the period. He died in Bombay on 31 July 1980, still at the height of his recording career.

The records in this collection

These 417 titles are original film soundtracks, almost all of them Hindi, on which Rafi is a credited voice — LPs and EPs, not solo artist albums. As was normal for the period, most carry his songs alongside other singers from the same film: Lata Mangeshkar appears on a large share of these records, Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar on many more, and Mukesh, Mahendra Kapoor and Shamshad Begum on others. The music directors run right through the golden age — Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Shankar-Jaikishan above all, then Naushad, Ravi and Kalyanji-Anandji, with smaller groups from Madan Mohan and Roshan. Most were pressed in India by The Gramophone Company of India on the HMV, Angel and Odeon labels, with the later titles carrying EMI India sleeves.

Buying Mohammed Rafi vinyl from us

Every record is graded honestly, sleeve and vinyl separately, with visible faults photographed and described rather than glossed over. Indian pressings of this age vary a great deal — pressing quality, storage and humidity all leave their mark — so read each listing carefully. Many of the records in this collection are graded Near Mint, and a few are still sealed. We ship worldwide from Bengaluru in rigid mailers, and we are happy to answer questions about a specific copy before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Mohammed Rafi records valuable?
It depends on the title, the pressing and above all the condition. Common soundtracks stay affordable, while sought-after Naushad and Shankar-Jaikishan scores in clean condition with intact covers command real premiums. Original pressings are generally preferred over later reissues, and a strong cover matters almost as much as quiet vinyl.

Are these Rafi solo albums?
No. These are original film soundtrack LPs and EPs on which Rafi is one of the lead voices. Most also feature other singers from the same film — duet partners and songs picturised on other characters — which is exactly how these records were issued at the time.

What is the difference between the LPs and the EPs?
The EPs are 7-inch 45 rpm discs carrying three or four songs from a film, which is how many Hindi soundtracks were first sold. The LPs are 12-inch 33⅓ rpm records with the fuller song selection. Both are original period pressings; the EPs are often the only format in which an early title was ever released.