BizAsia’s top 5 romantic tracks of 2014
2014 has been an awesome year for Bollywood music but maybe not as good as 2013 with setting new standards and trends in the music industry. However it surely did continue in the same steps as last year and grew it to new levels. Last year we identified as romantic music and big party tunes being the two clear areas of focus and growth in the industry and 2014 has surely seen a lot of brilliant work in these two categories, so much so that we were considering extending our Top five countdown to Top 10! But after a lot of reviewing and analysis here we are with the top 5 five romantic tunes of 2014.
Although everyone will have their own favourites and preferences when it comes to this, we have based our ranking for top five romantic songs of 2014 on songs that have had the maximum airplay on TV, radio, most talked about and viewed on social media platforms along with consdiring offbeat songs that show genuine talent and innovation in the genre.
5 ��� Naina ��� ��Khoobsurat�۪ (2014) ��� This warm Punjabi number in the soulful voices of Sona Mohapatra and Armaan Malik truly is one of the most underated songs of the year. Naina has done well but the beauty of the song and the amount of sheer talent in it deserves a lot more appreciation than it has received so far. Mohapatra is just stunning with her vocals that are playful and warm at the same time. Malik is equally good with good control and depth. Music director Amaal Mallik does a simple arrangement for the song with acoustic studio style jamming session music that work really well with fine lyrics by Kumaar. He keeps this song Punjabi all through and deeply romantic to blend in perfectly with the fairy-tale genre of the film and its music. This song has worked well on radio since its release and its simplicity with tons of innocence and purity has truly captured hearts of listeners. The more one listens to it, the more this song will grow in popularity. Filmed on two of major super starlets of the future viz. Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan will boost it even more as audiences in India and Pakistan carry its popularity further.
We have a tie for the 4th position!
4 ��� Ishq Bulaava ��� ��Hasee Toh Phasee�۪ (2014) – Ishq Bulaava is one of two romantic songs on the album with Zehnaseeb being the other one. As much as both the songs are individually great in their on right, Ishq Bulaava has an edge with the brilliant voice of Sanam Puri heard on Dhat Teri Ki in ��Gori Tere Pyaar Mein�۪ (2013) along with Shipra Goyal taking the female lead. He showcases his vocal depth and capabilities with this song written in a beautiful flow by Kumaar. With due credit to Puri as his vocals are just great, the Punjabi lyrics by Kumaar steal the show along with the classically sound composition by Vishal-Shekhar that give this song an edge over Zehnaseeb. The song just has a really good vibe and became a lover�۪s haven during Valentine’s this year. The accordion solo for the first bridge along with flutes is something worth listening to on a repeat with gorgeous intricate melodies composed by the Vishal-Shekhar giving it a number four spot in our countdown.
4 ��� Sajde ��� ��Kill Dill�۪ (2014) – Sajde is a seductive and vibrant romantic song in the voice of Arijit Singh and Nihira Joshi. The song has two parts with a slightly rock and some ambient lounge style of the song which blend it perfectly making this a very classy song to listen to. Arijit Singh is at his amazing best and delivers a ghazal style vocal performance that shifts into a rock performance very quickly. By far this is the song to listen to on repeat and is really artistic in its composition and video production. Right from Gulzar opening the song with his poetry to the instrumentation and using the sound of a water drop in an innovative musical way to the video of the song itself with classy cars, rain and hill-side shoot locations, the song is just well done in all aspects. The arrangement of the song is a fantastic fusion that carries a terrific melody through different styles including Ghazals, rock performance to Punjabi folk. Ranveer Singh and Parineeti make the song even more attractive and larger than life with its big sound and powerful but passionate lyrics by Gulzar. Salute to Shankar Ehsan Loy and Gulzar for putting this song together and of course to Singh for delivering it to perfection.
3 ��� Meherbaan ��� ��Bang Bang�۪ (2014) ��� London boy Ash King along with Shilpa Rao brings Anvita Dutt Guptan and Kumaar�۪s poetry alive in Meherbaan. This romantic number is classic in ways and super sweet and pleasing to the ears. The soft melodious voice of Ash King on top of harmonic musical instrumentation makes this a really good listen that is unique in many ways. Rao does a good job too but Ash�۪s voice works perfectly for the feel of this song and to complement the look for Hrithik Roshan in the video. The lyrics by Kumaar are really good but complex in many ways but brilliant nonetheless. The deep lyrical complexities force Vishal-Shekhar to play around with the arrangement of this song and use a number of instruments to move through the verses and sub-verses before it hits the choruses. Due credit to Ash King for taking vocal control of this song! This is a very good song and quite a difficult one in aspects of its composition and lyrics. The picturesque video with the beautiful Katrina Kaif and hunky Roshan makes this one of the most iconic tunes of the year and brings it up to position three in our countdown.
2 – Samjhawan – ��Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania�۪ (2014) ��� Samjhawan is originally a Rahat Fateh Ali Khan song composed by Javed Ahmed that has been recreated for ��Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania�۪ by Sharib-Toshi with Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal voicing the song to create a good version of the song with lyrical alterations brought in by Kumaar. The song is still typically in pure Punjabi with more Indian-ness delivered in the song thanks to the vocal and lyric changes to make this a success on the other side of the border from where it originated. The version does work and has found tons of success throughout the year on radio, online and TV thanks to two current massive singers on the song and a composition that is already a hit in many parts of the world thanks to the sufi genius of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. With a number of versions including a female unplugged version, this song has been a hit all the way. A truly iconic song that has taken Bollywood by storm this year and much deserves the 2nd position in our romantic songs chart of 2014.
1 ��� Galliyan ��� ��Ek Villain�۪ (2014) ���Galliyan is yet another gorgeous romantic song from the camp of Ankit Tiwari who worked on the most romantic album of last year ��Aashiqui 2�۪ (2013) and gave us Sun Raha Hai Na. Sung and composed by Ankit Tiwari himself, the song is well arranged in his typical style and makes one feel like one is listening to the ‘Aashiqui 2’ soundtrack. Tiwari delivers great vocals and perfect harmonies with the flute and violin bridges. Lyrics by Manoj Muntashir are the best feature of the song with strong and deeply romantic poetry. Adding an extra zing to the song is the multitalented Shraddha Kapoor who gives her voice to deliver an unplugged version of Galliyan on the album with accurate precision and perfect notes. She has the voice of a professional background singer and proves her brilliance behind the microphone on this song. With Tiwari doing a verse as well, the song works better than the original opening song if you consider overall listening pleasure. Simple instrumentation with piano and guitars makes this version a treat to listen to that has been enjoyed by audiences in their masses since its release. Continuing the legacy of romantic songs from last year, Galliyan is perhaps the most iconic and memorable song this year, even compared to Banjara from the same album done by Mithoon. This is an easy number one this year.
A common factor in most of our top five songs has been the work of Kumaar on the lyrics who has consistently delivered some of the biggest and best songs written this year. Quite easily the best lyricist this year who should be bagging all the lyrics awards! Ankit Tiwari has also truly arrived this year and proved he is the talent to watch out for. Arijit Singh is still the preferred voice for romantic numbers to make the women go weak in their knees.
In a year that had a good to great to an amazing romantic song in almost each album released, a list of songs that narrowly missing the top five romantic songs list could be huge considering the talent has been exceptional this year. Manwa Laage was perhaps one of the biggest commercial hits of the year from ��Happy New Year�۪ (2014). In the voices of Arijit and Shreya with Vishal-Shekhar�۪s composition that has a nice rural touch to it but typical in ways and with mediocre lyrics compared to the top five. Zehnaseeb from ��Hasee Toh Phasee�۪ is yet another great song from the album and well worth a listen. Chaar Kadam has just been released from the forthcoming ��PK�۪ (2014) in the gorgeous voices of Shaan and Ghoshal and this will easily win of people�۪s hearts with its soft notes and pleasing melodies with perhaps some of best written lyrics this year. Mast Magan from ��2 States�۪ (2014) is yet another song worth a mention with Arijit Singh�۪s deep vocals. Another great song with his vocals in a peppy romantic composition with a difference is Aaj Din Shayaran from ��Holiday ��� A Soldier is Never Off Duty�۪ (2014). Arijit delivers warmth and a bit of fun in this romantic song which is a lot happier compared to some of the other more sublime romantic songs this year. 2014 has overall been a brilliant year for romantic songs with exceptional work by the lyricists who have defined a new standard in romantic poetry in Bollywood.
Keep an eye out for BizAsia‘s other musical roundups of 2014 in the coming days.
