15 Popular Russian Songs From Timeless Classics To Modern Hits

There is no question that the Russian-speaking world has made a huge impact on the world of music.

As such the field of popular Russian songs is enormous. And that makes giving an ‘introduction’ a huge undertaking. So please know that this article isn’t only going to scratch the surface of the enormous pool of popular Russian songs.

This article also isn’t going to be a simple rehash of some хит-парада (hit parade) published by Spotify or русское радио.

You're going to discover some of the most famous popular Russian songs from different eras, genres, and musical styles.

The idea is to give you the basics so you can see what you like and take it from there.

Народная музыка (Traditional/Older Music)

Let’s start with some popular Russian songs from back in the day, often coming from the 1800s.

1. Калинка – Каlinka

I have no idea when I first heard the song Калинка and I don’t know when I realised how much people associate it with Russia as a whole.

That being said, I have heard it sung solo, by choirs, and remixed endlessly, sometimes by big-name acts like t.A.T.u. , making it a good enough place to start an introduction to Russian music.

Kalinka is a folk song about a tree called…well…a kalinka. The song is famous for its increasing energy with the tempo picking up every time the refrain comes back.

One of its most famous versions was performed by the Red Army Choir and is absolutely worth checking out!

2. Коробе́йники (Korobeiniki / The Peddlers)

Aside from Kalinka, the song Korobeiniki is the most easily recognisable song from Russia. If you give it a listen, you might also recognise it as the base for the theme song from Tetris.

Like Kalinka, the song starts off slow and increases in speed. The lyrics are about two lovers who are ‘haggling’ at a market but really they are having a back and forth about more amorous matters.

Overall, it’s a nice upbeat song and once you listen to it, you’ll start to hear echoes of it all over the place.

Шансоны – Chansons

The chanson (also spelled shanson) is a staple in Russian music.

Not so much a женр (genre) as it is a style of music, these tend to be slower and have an overarching narrative or story.

The mood and topic of a russkiy shanson can vary enormously but they're often about adventure, romance, heroism, and of course love.

3. 1 Миллион алых роз (A Million Scarlet Roses)

Here's a funny story about one of my Russian-speaking friends. Once, during his university days, he was walking on campus and started humming this song. A girl sitting nearby raised an eyebrow and finished the verse he was on. And so they became friends that summer.

The song миллион алых роз (a million scarlet roses) is not the best chanson out there. But it is one of the most well-known popular Russian songs.

Made famous by the extremely accomplished Alla Pugacheva (one of the most famous Russian pop artists), this chanson is as ubiquitous as it is an earworm. Personally, it always has a place in my heart as a proper love ballad about an artist.

4. Иван Кучин – В Таверне (Ivan Kuchin – In the Tavern)

Let me be honest here. I don’t love the music of Ivan Kuchin but he’s still performing (as of 2024), and people still come to his concerts and sing his songs at karaoke.

So, despite my personal feelings, the song В таверне is worth knowing for anyone who wants to go deeper into the world of popular Russian songs as much as Ivan Kuchin in general.

5. Михаил Круг – Девочка-пай (Mikhail Krug – The Good Girl)

Setting aside the singer-songwriter’s colorful and checkered past, Mikhail Krug has made a lot of music.

Often dealing with romance and/or being on the other side of the law, Krug sings extremely well-known melodies. Russian-speaking friends of mine heard Krug a lot growing up, whether at home or at friends' houses.

On any chanson playlist, you’ll find Krug, especially songs like Девочка-пай, Северный ветер (The North wind), and студентка (Student).

Военные Песни – War Songs

One of the most defining events in Russian history was World War II, called великая отечественная война (The Great Patriotic War) in Russian.

WWII in the Russian-speaking world in particular, birthed an enormous number of popular Russian songs. Some of these are still known today and many are still referenced.

6. Темная ночь (Dark is the Night)

This is not a happy song but it is an extremely well-known song for Russians. Its history goes back to World War II and the focus on the uncertainty of the future is baked into the lyrics themselves.

You probably won’t hear it on the radio much. But it is worth recognising both because it gets referenced or riffed on a lot and because it’s just a very good song.

7. Катюша – Katusha

Katusha is probably the most famous song ever written about a rocket-launcher.

You see, Katusha was both the common nickname for the B-13 and B-31 rocket launcher but is also an enigmatic woman that the song is about. Katusha is both a rallying cry and a cultural touchstone in Russian-speaking countries. 

That being said, the song is actually really good. It has heart and energy. Or at least others thought so because it’s been translated into heaps of languages and has motifs still borrowed into music to this day.

ВИА – Soviet Era Ensemble Music

Popular Russian songs also have their own naming conventions and if you’re getting into it, it’s worth knowing the term ВИА (VIA/VIE).

Standing for Вокально-инструментальный ансамбль (Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble) this is the old term that was given to bands during the Soviet Union that over time started to refer more and more to just pop and rock music.

Today, the term has been falling out of use in favour of terms like рок (rock) and поп-музыка (pop music).

8. Кино – Кончится лето (Summer is Ending)

The band Кино (Kino) is something of an institution in the Russian-speaking world, with over 80 songs written by the hugely celebrated singer Viktor Tsoi.

A lot of people compare Viktor Tsoi with American alt-rockers, calling him the so-and-so of Russia. But really Tsoi is his own thing, and Kino is one of Russia’s first great rock bands.

The group’s music usually taps into themes of discontentment, yearning for change, and melancholy.

There are too many other bangers by Кино to name, but some of the most popular include Группа крови (Blood type), Спокойная ночь (Peaceful Night) and of course, Кончится лето. 

9. Альянс – На заре (Al’yans – At Dawn)

Al’yans was a synthpop band from the Soviet Era who, at the time, didn’t get particularly famous.

That being said, tastes in music come and go in cycles and their most famous song titled На заре (At Dawn) has had a resurgence in the last few years, sometimes being played over video clips to signify the 80s.

Personally, I love this song. It’s got a kind of dreamy vibe and longing that hits the spot when you want it.

10. Nautilus Pompilius – Скованные одной цепью (Воспоминания о будущем) 

There’s a whole lot to say about the band Nautilus Pompilius.

First off, it’s one of the first names to come up when talking about Russian-language alternative/rock music. Second, it’s the band that Danila goes to see at the end of the 90s hit cult film Брат (Brother).

For me, Nautilus Pompilius is forever linked to the feel of the late 90s and some vague nostalgia of the time just before the Internet was commonplace. If you like rock that experiments then listen to Nautilus, plain and simple.

Современная музыка – Contemporary Music

Now let’s get into some more recent popular Russian songs.

11. Земфира – Искала (Zemfira – I was looking)

The Tartar/Russian singer-songwriter Zemfira has definitely earned her position in the pantheon of modern Russian music.

In fact, I got this very song stuck in my head while working on this post! It's a catchy one.

12. ДДТ – что такое осень (What is Fall?)

The group ДДТ has been playing since 1980 and is still going today (with some different members of course).

This song in particular combines a lot of good stuff with a quick pace, lots of double meanings, a kind of slower rock style, and a distinctly Russian singing style.

For whatever reason, whenever I hear the song что такое осень, I think of long car trips and I can’t recommend ДДТ enough if you’ve got some miles ahead of you.

13. Zventa Sventana – Мужа дома нету (Husband ain’t home)

This is not a hugely well-known song in the Russian-speaking world but I’ve included it here because if you’re into electro-folk then Zventa Sventana is kind of unmissable.

She combines elements of Russian folk songs and culture with electronic and techno music which makes a great combo if you’re into it.

Other great songs by her include Пойду плясать (I’m going out to dance (traditionally))

14. Агата Кристи – Как на войне (Agatha Christie – Like in War)

Genre isn’t a helpful thing for describing Agatha Christie. The group is better described with vibes this song has those to spare.

Like a lot of other Russian-language rock music, this one is full of frustration, yearning and desire to do…something.

It’s worth mentioning that this song and parts of the old music video have become part of Russian meme culture. So if you spend a lot of time on RuNet there’s a fair chance of seeing a reference.

15. Кипелов – Я Свободен (Kipelov – I’m free)

If you want a rock ballad that will make people stop and start singing their own boisterous rendition, this is the song.

Я сбоводен (I’m free) is a full-throated declaration of independence on self-determination and people love it.

So if you spend time around some Russian speakers, you’re bound to hear on the radio, through someone’s speakers or at karaoke.

Popular Russian Songs FAQ

Listening To Popular Russian Songs

As I said at the top of the article, this list can only scratch the surface of the world of popular Russian songs. The world is vast with artists creating in any genre you can think of and often giving their own spin on others.

So think of this list as a starting point to get you going.

If you want to know even more about the culture of Russian-speaking countries, check out my posts about famous Russian authors and traditional Russian dishes.

And if you want to learn Russian fast, through story, not rules, my course, Russian Uncovered will help. Claim your free 7-day trial of Russian Uncovered.

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.