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BizAsia’s top 5 soundtracks of 2013

In the year that produced some of the biggest blockbusters of Bollywood, on the music front choosing the top five soundtracks was not too tough considering the formula has been quite consistent across the board this year including some big party tunes rather than sleazy item numbers, wedding tunes and some good romantic songs. There have been albums that have been clear winners on the charts which have created a space for themselves in car stereos, iPods and CD collections worldwide. However, in this countdown of the top five soundtracks we will look at those five that will stay in those collections and listeners hearts for a long time.

Race 2 Jacqueline Saif

5 – ‘Race 2’ (2013) – Pritam’s collaboration with Honey Singh created a super hit at the start of 2013 as the Race series of movies launched its part 2 with Saif Ali Khan getting together with John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Jacqueline Fernandez this time. What Pritam created at the start of the year has stuck on the charts throughout with Lat Lag Gayi turning out to be one of the biggest songs of 2013. Be it parties or a romantic evening for a couple in their living room, that song has hit the right note on all occasions. Party On My Mind with Honey Singh has been one of the favourite club tunes for the masses while Atif Aslam made Be Intehaan one of the best romantic tunes to come out this year. Remixes of these songs and Race title song filled up rest of the tracks on this OST leaving not much room for error with just four originals on the OST making it a clear hit with each song.

'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' Music Album

4 ��� ��Bhaag Milkha Bhaag�۪ (2013) ��� When Prasoon Joshi picks up the pen to put words to the music of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, you know there will be some magic brewing. This OST with eight songs might not have the commercial genius but it had the right balance between creating iconic tunes for this biopic along with giving the songs commercial success. With each song from Zinda to Maston Ka Jhund to Mera Yaar to romantic tune O Rangrez to the title song Bhaag Milkha Bhaag itself, each song is situational to the movie and is perfectly place within the script. Each song has an identity of its own and is beautifully composed with great lyrics and all gaining good amount of radio play throughout the world as this film gained critical fame and box office success contributing further to make the album number 1 on the iTunes Store in India.

GTPM

3 ��� ��Gori Tere Pyaar Mein�۪ (2013) – With the soundtrack of ��Gori Tere Pyaar Mein�۪ Vishal-Shekar proved that they compete with their own work constantly by clearly outdoing their own work with the music of ��Chennai Express�۪ earlier this year. Every song on this 9 track album is worth listening to and delivered commercial success with the masses. It is difficult for any music director to deliver a hit on every track but Vishal-Shekhar prove they can do that with their simple genius by achieving perfection in music with their team of lyricists and singers for each song! With three massive party numbers including wedding hit Tooh, item number Chingam Chabake and club popper Dhat Teri Ki finding a reason to dance is easy. Dil Duffer appeals very strongly to the young uni crowd while Naina is perfect to make anyone fall in love. Vishal-Shekhar deliver a collectors album that is an all-out get up and dance fun soundtrack and defines the sound of 2013.

Ramleela

2 ��� ��Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela�۪ (2013) ��� It is very rare to get a contemporary sound with a mix of folk, classical, urban fusion all under one soundtrack in the 2013 era but Sanjay Leela Bhansali not just delivers it in style but also makes it a commercial hit with this OST. He proves yet again that melody is the true soul of music and nothing is more endearing to the heart (and ears) than simplicity. His ability to capture the soul of the song in its music can truly come from the director�۪s mind only so that one can close their eyes and visualise the song without having even seen it making it a musical masterpiece! He brings love out in his music truly from the heart and that captured the hearts of honest music lovers. Nagada Sang Dhol became a No. 1 hit on charts for numerous weeks and the new Navratri favourite that will last a few decades, while Tattad Tattad became a street favourite and Ram Chahe Leela is an item song with a different and class. There is no shortage of beautiful romantic songs including Laal Ishq, Ang Laga De, Lahu Munh Lag Gaya and Poore Chand. Overall Bhansali has created a great sounding OST of 10 songs that are mostly great is every respect of music creation.

'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani'

1 ��� ��Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani�۪ (2013) ��� It is rare to get a soundtrack that not only pulls people to the cinemas but also gets them to get up on their seats or sink in them with every song. It is even rare to get these reactions from audiences of all age groups. Pritam knocked the socks off a Bollywood hungry nation who went crazy to every tune of YJHD. By far the biggest musical hit this year, each song had substance with lyrical brilliance and musical genius packed in them. A hit-making formula that delivered in Badtameez Dil, Balam Pichkari, Dilliwali Girlfriend, Ghagra dance numbers and Kabira, Ilahi, Subhanallah on the ballads front. With variety all through, each of the 9 songs on the album are a piece of work in themselves and deserved both critical and commercial acclaim and rightly enjoyed their rule across radio and TV airways. Listeners have stuck to the music of this soundtrack on their portable devices with the repeat button pushed in for months. The authentic fresh and youthful sound of this album has a never dying age to it that will make listeners come back and keep listening to the soundtrack for years.

Vishal-Shekhar rocked the boat with ��Chennai Express�۪ (2013) with some humongous party tunes including Lungi Dance and 1 2 3 4 Get On the Dancefloor but failed to give further depth and success with songs like Kashmir Tu and Tera Rastaa making it miss our top list.

R Rajkumar

��R��_Rajkumar�۪ (2013) also hit the spot with its street party tunes under Pritam�۪s direction with Gandi Baat, Mat Maari and Saare Ke Faal Sa but lost it with songs like Kaddu Katega that pretty much kill the fun of the album.

Recent release ��Dhoom 3�۪ (2013) also missed the mark for us with none of the songs showing great potential to be super hits. With creative inspirations in all songs based around the original Dhoom melody, the creativity was restricted. But it would be unfair to not mention this OST directed by Pritam with its songs Kamli, Malang and Tu Hi Junoon who do deserve a mention.

Finally, a soundtrack that is definitely worth mentioning in 2013 is that of ��Aashiqui 2�۪ (2013) with its big romantic tunes including Tum Hi Ho, Bhula Dena, Sunn Raha Hai and more. This 11 song album with the musical work of Jeet Ganguly, Mithoon and Ankit Tiwari does stand out from the rest and brought something new to the table for a soulful romantic genre. Unfortunately, with not much variety for the masses, some of the songs failed to deliver ranking this OST just outside our top five.

All-in-all, 2013 was a great year for Bollywood music and clearly a big year for Pritam being the obvious winner. But the real winners are the lovers of Bollywood music that make each song go the distance. The listeners are growing in their appreciation of good music by giving off-beat albums like ��Bhaag Milkha Bhaag�۪ and ��Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela�۪ a chance to be successful and thus setting the stone for more variety and evolution in music in 2014.