The medieval age saw devotees like Tulsidas, Surdas, Mirabai, Narottama Dasa (founder of Garan-hati style), Kabir and others composing bhajans. In the modern times, composers like Pt. V. D. Paluskar and Pt. V. N. Bhatkhande have tried to mingle Raga Sangeet or Indian classical music – which had been an exclusive domain of the elite – with bhajans, thereby democratizing the Raga tradition. Chanting of bhajans and kirtan continues to be a favorite mode of worship in the Bhakti tradition of Hinduism, a tradition often regarded as far more accessible to the average person. This popularity is also reflected in the emphasis of many different gurus on chanting.

The bhajan form has also been used in Sufi qawwali, especially by Aziz Mian .