Just another week for 2015 to come to a close, and we are back with Music Aloud’s only listicle of the year – our annual roundup of songs from across industries that we actively follow. Like last year, it is four top 25 lists – Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and non-film, and a smaller miscellaneous playlist of favourite songs from other language films that we don’t cover well enough to be able to do a complete roundup. Onto the lists then. Format is the usual: Song Title (Movie) – Composer(s)|Singer(s)|Lyricist(s). Also, we have followed the movie release date like every time, so some of the soundtracks that came out this year maybe missing on account of the movies coming out next year.
Bollywood Top 25
Like 2014, this year too wasn’t the best for Hindi music. Barring a few standout soundtracks, the general number of great tracks was fairly low. We do, however, have a list of 30 for you (25 + 5 honorary mentions). Song title is a link to the actual song, and we have a playlist at the end, of songs that are available on youtube. (I have avoided Calcutta Kiss from Detective Byomkesh Bakshy in my listing, since the original song Taste The Kiss was on our top 25 non-film list last year)
1 Sapna Jahaan (Brothers) – Ajay Atul|Sonu Nigam, Neeti Mohan|Amitabh Bhattacharya
2 Dhadaam Dhadaam (Bombay Velvet) – Amit Trivedi|Neeti Mohan|Amitabh Bhattacharya
3 Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai (Tamasha) – A R Rahman|Mika Singh, Nakash Aziz|Irshad Kamil
4 Moh Moh Ke Dhaage (Dum Lagaa Ke Haisha) – Anu Malik|Papon/Monali Thakur|Varun Grover
5 Insaaf (Talvar) – Vishal Bhardwaj|Arooj Aftab|Gulzar
6 Mann Kasturi (Masaan) – Indian Ocean|Amit Kilam|Sanjeev Sharma, Varun Grover
7 O Saathi Mere (Tanu Weds Manu Returns) – Krsna|Sonu Nigam|Rajshekhar
8 Aaj Ibadat (Bajirao Mastani) – Sanjay Leela Bhansali|Javed Bashir, Shadab Faridi, Altamash Faridi, Shashi Suman, Shreyas Puranik|A M Turaz
9 Bezubaan (Piku) – Anupam Roy|Anupam Roy|Anupam Roy
10 Bach Ke Bakshy (Detective Byomkesh Bakshy) – Sneha Khanwalkar|Gowri Jayakumar, Big Deal, Thomson Andrews, Trevor Furtado, Rap by: Smokey the Ghost, Craz Professa|Sneha Khanwalkar, Dibakar Bannerjee
11 Tum Saath Ho (Tamasha) – A R Rahman|Alka Yagnik, Arijit Singh|Irshad Kamil
12 Sylvia (Bombay Velvet) – Amit Trivedi|Neeti Mohan|Amitabh Bhattacharya
13 Carbon Copy (Drishyam) – Vishal Bhardwaj|Ash King|Gulzar
14 Nazdeekiyan (Shaandaar) – Amit Trivedi|Nikhil Paul George, Neeti Mohan|Amitabh Bhattacharya
15 Maazaa My Lord (Hawaizaade) – Mangesh Dhakde|Mohit Chauhan, Neeti Mohan|Vibhu Virender Puri
16 Nachda (Phantom) – Pritam|Shahid Mallya|Kausar Munir
17 Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Hamari Adhuri Kahani) – Jeet Gannguli|Arijit Singh|Rashmi Singh, Virag Mishra
18 Deewani Mastani (Bajirao Mastani) – Sanjay Leela Bhansali|Shreya Ghoshal, Ganesh Chandanshive, Mujtaba Aziz Naza, Shahdab Faridi, Altamush Faridi, Farhan Sabri| Siddharth–Garima, Nasir Faraaz, Ganesh Chandanshive
19 Sooiyaan (Guddu Rangeela) – Amit Trivedi|Chinmayi Sripada, Arijit Singh|Irshad Kamil
20 Sun Saathiya (ABCD 2) – Sachin Jigar|Priya Saraiya, Divya Kumar|Priya Saraiya
21 Ishq-e-Fillum (Shamitabh) – Ilaiyaraja|Suraj Jagan|Swanand Kirkire
22 Meri Aadat (Margarita With A Straw) – Mikey McCleary|Anushka Manchanda|Prasoon Joshi
23 Judaai (Badlapur) – Sachin Jigar|Rekha Bhardwaj, Arijit Singh|Priya Saraiya
24 Daayre (Dilwale) – Pritam|Arijit Singh|Amitabh Bhattacharya
25 Chori Chori (Hunterrr) – Khamosh Shah|Arijit Singh, Sona Mohapatra|Khamosh Shah
Honorary mentions
26 Lip To Lip (Katti Batti) – Shankar Ehsaan Loy|Ritu Pathak, Nikhil D’Souza|Kumaar
27 Hogi Kranti (Bangistan) – Ram Sampath|Ram Sampath, Abhishek Nailwal|Puneet Krishna
28 Gulaabo (Shaandaar) – Amit Trivedi|Vishal Dadlani, Anusha Mani|Anvita Dutt
29 Jaanam (Detective Byomkesh Bakshy) – Peter Cat Recording Co.|Suryakant Sawhney|Suryakant Sawhney
30 Main Jo (NH10) – Ayush Shrestha & Savera Mehta|Nayantara Bhatkal, Savera Mehta|Manoj Tapadia
Malayalam Top 25
I had the hardest time with this list this time; Malayalam has had a really good year with a lot of quality songs (my initial list stood at close to 80!). Bijibal has been consistently good throughout the year, though the biggest hits of the year belonged to others. Song title links to the actual song, and playlist at the end. The playlist is incomplete since not all songs are available individually on youtube.
1 Mukkathe Penne (Ennu Ninte Moideen) – Gopi Sunder|Muhammad Maqbool Mansoor, Gopi Sunder|Muhammad Maqbool Mansoor
2 Hemanthamen (Kohinoor) – Rahul Raj|Vijay Yesudas|B K Harinarayanan
3 Nee En Kaathare (The Reporter) – Sharreth|Shabeer, Chithra|Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma
4 Aluva Puzha (Premam) – Rajesh Murugesan|Vineeth Sreenivasan|Shabareesh Varma
5 Harinakshi (Kaliyachan) – Bijibal|Bijibal|Rafeeq Ahammed
6 Nilaavum Maayunnu (Ennum Eppozhum) – Vidyasagar|K S Harishankar|Rafeeq Ahammed
7 Akale (Charlie) – Gopi Sunder|Malgudi Shubha|Rafeeq Ahammed
8 Malare (Premam) – Rajesh Murugesan|Vijay Yesudas|Shabareesh Varma
9 Vasantha Mallike (Chandrettan Evideya) – Prashant Pillai|Haricharan, Preeti Pillai|Santhosh Varma
10 Chiriyude Pinnil (You Too Brutus) – Roby Abraham|Madonna Sebastian|Rafeeq Ahammed
11 Vaanam Chaayum (Anarkali) – Vidyasagar|K S Harishankar|Rajeev Nair
12 Kaikkottum Kandittilla (Oru Vadakkan Selfie) – Shaan Rahman|Vaikom Vijayalakshmi|Vineeth Sreenivasan
13 Padiyirangunnu (Pathemaari) – Bijibal|Hariharan|Rafeeq Ahammed
14 Ee Mizhikalil (Lukka Chuppi) – Bijibal|Vivekanand|Rafeeq Ahammed
15 Oru Karimukilinu (Charlie) – Gopi Sunder|Vijay Prakash|Rafeeq Ahammed
16 Ponveyil (Jo and the Boy) – Rahul Subramanian|Haricharan|Santhosh Varma
17 Raavinte ( Su Su Sudhi Vaathmeekam) – Bijibal|Ganesh Sundaram|Santhosh Varma
18 Instrumental Theme (100 Days of Love) – Govind Menon|Govind Menon
19 Mari Mazha (Picket 43) – Ratheesh Vegha|Vijay Yesudas|Murugan Kattakkada
20 Jeevanil (Swarathekkaal Sundaram) – Rakesh Keshavan|Najeem Arshad, Hesham Abdul Wahab|Engandiyoor Chandrasekharan
21 Paapaleela (Kaliyachan) – Bijibal|P Jayachandran|Rafeeq Ahammed
22 Azhalinte (You Too Brutus) – Roby Abraham|Roby Abraham|Rafeeq Ahammed
23 Kaathirunnu (Ennu Ninte Moideen) – M Jayachandran|Shreya Ghoshal|Rafeeq Ahammed
24 Hridayathin (100 Days of Love) – Govind Menon|Vijay Yesudas, Mridula Warrier|Rafeeq Ahammed
25 Nilaakkudame (Chirakodinja Kinavukal) – Deepak Dev|P Jayachandran, Minmini|B K Harinarayanan
Honorary mentions
26 Kavil (Mariyam Mukku) – Vidyasagar|Kavalam Sreekumar, Najeem Arshad|Santhosh Varma
27 I Remember You (Nee-Na) – Nikhil J Menon|Shaktisree Gopalan|Nikhil J Menon
28 Theevandi (Haram) – Thaikkudam Bridge|Thaikkudam Bridge|Dhanya Suresh
29 Kanmaniye (Mili) – Gopi Sunder|Minmini|B K Harinarayanan
30 Ottathooval (Rajamma @ Yahoo) – Bijibal|Ganesh Sundaram, Roopa Revathi|Ajith Kumar
Tamil Top 25
Carrying on the tradition we began last year, of having a separate list for Tamil. You may notice that we haven’t reviewed many of the soundtracks featured here, but that is only owing to paucity of time; we do listen to a lot more music than we review!
1 Kadhalam Kadavul Mun (Uttama Villain) – Ghibran|Padmalatha|Kamal Haasan
2 Naane Varugiren (O Kaadhal Kanmani) – A R Rahman|Shashaa Tirupati, Sathyaprakash|Vairamuthu
3 Kannaana Kanne (Naanum Rowdy Dhaan) – Anirudh|Sean Roldan|Vignesh Shivan
4 Sel Sel (Kaakka Muttai) – G V Prakash Kumar|Sathya Prakash|Na. Muthukumar
5 Rasathi (36 Vayadhinile) – Santhosh Narayanan|Lalitha Vijayakumar|Vivek
6 Yeya En Kottikkaara (Papanasam) – Ghibran|Malavinka Anilkumar, Sundar Narayana Rao|Na. Muthukumar
7 Naanai Poovai (Kirumi) – K|Jananie S V, K|S Gnanakaravel
8 Saagaavaram (Uttama Villain) – Ghibran|Kamal Haasan, Yazin Nizar, Ranjith, Iyappan|Kamal Haasan
9 Usure Nee (Mahabalipuram) – K|Shaktisree Gopalan, D Imman|Yugabharathi
10 Sinamika (O Kaadhal Kanmani) – A R Rahman|Karthik|Vairamuthu
11 Maanjaave (Kaakka Muttai) – G V Prakash Kumar|Gaana Baala, Srihari|Rajkumar
12 Neeyum Naanum (Naanum Rowdy Dhaan) – Anirudh|Neeti Mohan, Anirudh|Thamarai
13 Poove Pooviname (144) – Sean Roldan|Sean Roldan, Chinmayi|Sean Roldan
14 Pookkale (I) – A R Rahman|Haricharan, Shreya Ghoshal|Madhan Karky
15 Naan Indru (Kadavul Paathi Mirugam Paathi) – Rahul Raj|Sooraj Santhosh|Viveka
16 Payanangal Thodarudhae (Orange Mittai) – Justin Prabhakaran|Naresh Iyer, Padmalatha|Kattalai Jaya
17 Marudhakkaari (Paayum Puli) – D Imman|Diwakar|Vairamuthu
18 Unakkenna Venam (Yennai Arindhaal) – Harris Jayaraj|Benny Dayal, Mahathi|Thamarai
19 Vazhi Nedugilum (JK Enum Nanbanin Vaazhkai) – Siddharth Vipin|Unknown|Unknown
20 Kuiyyo Muiyyo (Eetti) – G V Prakash Kumar|G V Prakash Kumar, Vandana Srinivasan, Malavika Sundar|Na. Muthukumar
21 Kannala (Thani Oruvan) – Hip Hop Thamizha|Padmalatha, Kaushik Krish|Hip Hop Thamizha
22 Thoonga Kangal (Maya) – Ron Yohann|Shaktisree Gopalan|Kutti Revathi
23 Yennaachu Yedhaachu (Trisha Illana Nayanthara) – G V Prakash Kumar|G V Prakash Kumar, Saindhavi, Kalyani Pradeep|Kabilan
24 Saayore Saayore (Moone Moonu Vaarthai) – Karthikeya Murthy|Latha Krishna, Karthikeya Murthy, Keerthana Nath, Sooraj Santosh|Madhan Karky
25 Don’u Don’u Don’u (Maari) – Anirudh|Anirudh, Alisha Thomas|Dhanush
Honorary mentions
26 Kaadhal Kan Kattudhey (Kaakki Sattai) – Anirudh|Shaktisree Gopalan, Anirudh|Yugabharathi
27 Vizhithidu (Kallappadam) – K|Anand Aravindakshan|Mani Amudhavan
28 Dummy Piece-u (Demonte Colony) – Keba Jeremiah|D Imman|Arunraja Kamaraj
29 Idharkku Thaaney (Romeo Juliet) – D Imman|Vaikom Vijayalakshmi|Madhan Karky
30 Tak Bak (Thanga Magan) – Anirudh|Anirudh|Dhanush
Top 25 Non film songs
Thanks to Coke Studio @ MTV inexplicably changing their format to a once a month, the buzz around the show has been relatively low this year. And we haven’t found it great enough to merit its own roundup either, so this list shall contain a couple of entries from the show as well. The list focuses on artists from within the country, and is handpicked from the music we managed to listen to. So this is by no means a comprehensive representation of the non-film scene this year, but we can assure you that the songs listed are definitely worth checking out! Not all songs are available for streaming sadly, we have linked the ones that are. And the other usual disclaimer; this ranking is not meant to compare the songs per se as they are from across genres. The format here is slightly different: Song title (Album/show) – Artist(s)
1 Navarasam (Navarasam) – Thaikkudam Bridge
2 Ezhisaiyaai (Swappnam) – Ilaiyaraja, ft. Abhishek Raghuram
3 Morning Mist (Touch) – Anil Srinivasan
4 Padayaathra (Music Mojo) – Job Kurian Collective ft. Harish Sivaramakrishnan
5 Go (In Tokens and Charms) – Prateek Kuhad
6 Fires (Dystopian Dream) – Nitin Sawhney ft. Ashwin Srinivasan, Nicki Wells, Tina Grace, LCV Choir
7 Dil Hai Namazi (Filament) – Shankar Tucker ft. Vijay Prakash
8 Nadia (Light) – Midival Punditz ft. Malini Awasthi, Papon, Ajay Prasanna
9 Journey of Truth (Silence is Bliss) – Naveen Kumar ft. Stephen Devassy
10 Inayat (Ananthaal) – Ananthaal
11 Ae Rab (Coke Studio @ MTV) – Dhruv Ghanekar ft. Master Saleem
12 Ammaye Appa (Swappnam) – Ilaiyaraja ft. Sudha Raghunathan, Rajesh Vaidhya
13 Kaanthaa (Music Mojo) – Masala Coffee
14 Agaramum Aagi (Arunagiri Perumale) – Poorvaa
15 Khwaab (Navarasam) – Thaikkudam Bridge
16 Sharaabi (Union Farm) – Madboy/Mink
17 Annapurne (Touch) – Anil Srinivasan, Mandolin Rajesh
18 At The Theatres (Indosoul) – Karthick Iyer Live
19 Mumbai Dance (Bass Rani) – Nucleya
20 Nilavu (Music Mojo) – Job Kurian Collective
21 Rangabati (Coke Studio @ MTV) – Ram Sampath ft Sona Mohapatra, Rituraj Mohanty, Tony Sebastian, Rajesh Radhakrishnan
22 Aasman Ki Godh (Filmy Breaks) – Prashant Pillai, Shreekumar Vakkiyil
23 Sway With Me (Voyage) – Dhruv Ghanekar ft. Vasuda Sharma
24 Yaad (Filament) – Shankar Tucker ft. Nirali Kartik
25 Sangeet Mera (Qadam Badha) – Hesham Abdul Wahab
Finally a miscellaneous list of film songs from other languages that we loved. No ranking here, just songs listed by movie titles
Mann Mandira (Katyar Kaljat Ghusli – Marathi) – Shankar Ehsaan Loy|Shankar Mahadevan|Mandar Cholkar
Sur Se Saji (Katyar Kaljat Ghusli – Marathi) – Shankar Ehsaan Loy|Rahul Deshpande|Prakash Kapadia, Sameer Samant
Yaar Ilahi (Katyar Kaljat Ghusli – Marathi) – Shankar Ehsaan Loy|Arshad Muhammad, Divya Kumar, Arijit Singh and Chorus|Sameer Samant
Aadhir Maan (Nilkanth Master – Marathi) – Ajay Atul|Shreya Ghoshal|Gajendra Ahire
Konse Desh Chala (Nilkanth Master – Marathi) – Ajay Atul|Ajay Gogavale, Shreya Ghoshal|Gajendra Ahire
Kangaroo (Highway Ek Selfie Aarpar – Marathi) – Amit Trivedi|Benny Dayal, Shalmali Kholgade|Vaibhav Joshi
Aj Notun Probhat (Kadambari – Bengali) – Bickram Ghosh|Kaushiki Chakraborty
Ekla Cholo Re (Kadambari – Bengali) – Rabindranath Tagore/Bickram Ghosh|Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
E Bhara Badara (Kadambari – Bengali) – Rabindranath Tagore/Bickram Ghosh|Rashid Khan|Vidyapati
Jiya Maane Na (Rajkahini – Bengali) – Indradip Dasgupta|Rekha Bhardwaj, Indradip Dasgupta|Srijato
Saanson Se (Rajkahini – Bengali) – Indradip Dasgupta|Rekha Bhardwaj|Srijato
Kanulu Kalanu (Abbayitho Ammayi – Telugu) – Ilaiyaraja|Haricharan, Chinmayi
Edhuru Choostunna (Abbayitho Ammayi – Telugu) – Ilaiyaraja|Vibhavari
Mamatala Talli (Baabubali – Telugu) – M M Keeravani|Satya Yamini & Chorus|K Shiva Shakti Datta
Dheevara (Baahubali – Telugu) – M M Keeravani|Ramya Behara, Deepu|Ramajogayya Sastry
Matthagajame (Rudhramadevi – Telugu) – Ilaiyaraja|S P Balasubramaniam, Chithra, Kailash Kher|Sirivennela Sitaramasastry
Punnami Poovai (Rudhramadevi – Telugu) – Ilaiyaraja|Shreya Ghoshal & Chorus|Sirivennela Sitaramasastry
Airtelu Aircelu (Ranavikrama – Kannada) – V Harikrishna|Vijay Prakash|Pavan Wadeyar
And that completes are biggest roundup so far, in terms of numbers (three songs more than last year :D). So long then! Wishing everyone a wonderful 2016!
