Blind from childhood (an effect of contracting smallpox), Landini became one of the foremost exponents of the ars nova style. He was a highly regarded organist and played a number of other instruments, including the lute and guitar. He lived most of his life in Florence, and died there.

Landini's works include a large number of ballate and a smaller number of madrigals. He is assumed to have written his own texts for many of his works.