Here we go again! Another year ends and another annual music playlists compilation! This is the 16th year of my making such playlists, on Milliblog.
I visited my birth town, Trichy, after some 30 odd years earlier in December. During this trip, we traveled in multiple cabs (including to both Srirangam temple and Thiruvanaikaval temple, places that I frequented almost daily while living in Srirangam in the mid-1980s) and all of them played music via the driver’s phone. Not streaming music, but good old mp3s! Living in Bengaluru and wrapped in the world of Spotify Wrapped (pun intended) it is easy to overlook the larger world outside this bubble where streaming music doesn’t even register. Even streaming videos would be popular, thanks to YouTube, and free/ad-supported streams of the leading OTT apps. But streaming music? Seems unlikely! Despite Spotify (and JioSaavn) having free, ad-supported versions, though less said about Spotify’s thoroughly annoying self-ads, the better.!
The bottomline is perhaps that it is very difficult to truly convert the whole of India into users of streaming music, and even more difficult to convert them, into paying subscribers for streaming music (or video, for that matter). In the cab’s screen in the center (both the small, single-line variety and the larger screens in newer cars), I could see names that I recall seeing more than a decade ago – like ‘Masstamilan’ (which uploads mp3 files of latest Tamil movie songs as soon as they are released and adds their ‘brand’ name in the mp3 tags)! Not just that – some of the songs started by playing ‘Saregama Caravan Mini…’ ads in the beginning, and I realized that someone has ripped the music off the YouTube videos that include such pre-play ads.
I do not have a single mp3 in my phone or laptop now. In the early-to-late 2000s, mp3s were my main source of music! Even on highway drives these days, I depend exclusively on streaming music via Spotify because it works flawlessly all through.
One of the cab drivers told me that they pay a small sum to ‘music shops’ who upload hundreds of mp3s as per their choice into their phones. Earlier, they gave them USB sticks, but now that phones come with a minimum of 128GB space, they have replaced USB sticks effortlessly. And on the internet on the phone itself (a prerequisite for streaming music, if you ignore the downloadable options that come with paid subscriptions), his logic was, why waste my 1-2GB per day on streaming music while I can use it for video calls and watching videos?
I’m sure this could be the case for the many, many non-metro/B and C towns of India, beyond just cab drivers. I used to get cassette tapes filled with such music back when I was in college, in the mid-1990s. They were famously called ‘mixtapes’. Only the format and media has evolved – the actual act remains the same!
How would the Spotifys, YouTube Musics, Apple Musics of the world convert so many people and make them all paying subscribers? Think of the staggeringly large—and demanding, price-wise—’market’ out there waiting to be converted! But this sizeable market also poses the biggest challenge these streaming music platforms can ever think of, starting with price.
That said, all the songs from the 2024 edition of Milliblog Annual are available on all three platforms – Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. And no… no mp3 compilations 🙂
As always, these lists are in order of my preference – they are not random lists. And, these are my personal preferences, not based on ‘popularity’ or surveys. These continue to be lists I make for my own personal listening.
Hindi
I would rate the 2024 output of Hindi film music as being better than 2023. So much that I was forced to up the number from 15 last year to 20 this year. Not 30 yet, like 2021, though 🙂
On a quick, anecdotal basis, Bad Newz’s Tauba Tauba and Stree 2’s Aaj Ki Raat could easily be the ‘most heard’ songs of the year. But in terms of overall soundtracks (almost a rarity in Hindi cinema these days), I liked Pritam’s Merry Christmas and A R Rahman’s Amar Singh Chamkila more. These are soundtracks that seemed to be in sync with the film’s theme and had a cohesive sound all through.
As far as composers were concerned, the days of one composer dominating the year are long over. Almost all the composers in the Top 20 had more than one and less than 2-3 soundtracks or talk-worthy songs. The closest a composer comes in terms of wide coverage across films (including those of multi-composer films) is Sachin-Jigar. Sanjith Hegde’s Hindi debut (Dange) was worth noting, while the return of M.M.Kreem after the massive success of RRR’s music, with Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha and Good Morning Sunshine too was.
Composer of the year: None
Top 20 film songs, 2024 – Hindi
- Nazar Teri Toofan – Merry Christmas (Pritam)
- Ishq Mitaye – Amar Singh Chamkila (A R Rahman)
- Aaj Ki Raat – Stree 2 (Sachin-Jigar)
- Kisi Roz – Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha (M.M. Kreem)
- Tauba Tauba – Bad Newz (Karan Aujla)
- Kasturi – Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani (Prasad Sashte)
- Chaawat – Sarfira (G.V. Prakash Kumar)
- Mirza – Maidaan (A R Rahman)
- Ankaha – Main Atal Hoon (Salim Sulaiman)
- Kiddan Zaalima – Crew (Vishal Mishra)
- Ishq Jaisa Kuch – Fighter (Vishal-Sheykhar)
- I Wanna See You Dance – Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (Sachin-Jigar)
- Le Le Pangey – Dange (Sanjith Hegde)
- Har Karwate – Good Morning Sunshine (M. M. Keeravani)
- Dheeme Dheeme – Laapataa Ladies (Ram Sampath)
- Saathiya – Yudhra (Shankar Ehsaan Loy)
- Tenu Sang Rakhna – Jigra (Achint Thakkar)
- Raat Akeli Thi – Merry Christmas (Pritam)
- Satyanaas – Chandu Champion (Pritam)
- Mast Malang Jhoom – Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (Vishal Mishra)
Tamil
Oh boy, am I glad director Mari Selvaraj got back with Santhosh Narayanan, after fantastic music in Pariyerum Perumal and Karnan? Rahman’s music in his third film, Maamannan felt underwhelming, and Vaazhai was a return to roots of sorts, music-wise too. But what’s even more interesting is that his next film features music by the very promising Nivas K Prasanna!
Ilayaraja had a good enough year, with Viduthalai 2 garnering all the attention while it is Jama that should ideally get more. Of course, please stay from his songs in Dinasari – they are outdated and atrocious, particularly a song titled ‘Thedi Thedi’ where even the hero (Srikanth) seems to annoyed with the music, the heroine (who is also the singer and producer) that he dances with a gruff expression for most of the song.
In terms of spread, I think both D.Imman and Govind Vasantha had quite a few films among them. But while Imman is pigeonholing himself into his own zone more and more (with only occasional sparks), Govind seems to be going from strength to strength. In almost all his films more than one song remains highly listenable. In 2024, with excellent songs from Fight Club (despite its release in mid-December 2023; I’m not going to penalize and overlook the album just because it came too late into 2023 when most lists were already made), Election, Meiyazhagan, and Blue Star (I had Railin Oligal in my 2023 annual list), he is my choice for composer of the year. Rahman’s Tamil repertoire this year was less interesting despite a few films (Raayan, Ayalaan, Lal Salaam). Based on ‘Yennai Izhukkuthadi’ (was in my long list for 2024), his upcoming Kadhalikka Neramillai seems more interesting.
2024 is also some sort of a comeback for GV Prakash Kumar. Not only did he have a fairly good year (at least one/a couple of decent songs as yardstick) in Tamil with Siren, Thangalaan, Captain Miller (among others), but he produced the same streak in Telugu (Lucky Bhaskar) and Hindi too (Sarfira).
The next year promises to be really interesting with some really young new composers. Lydian Nadhaswaram, the 19-year-old musical prodigy, is the composer for Mohanlal’s ambitious venture Barroz. Tamil pop music’s wonder-boy, Sai Abhyankkar, the 20-year-old son of singers Tippu and Harini, is the debutant film composer for Suriya’s next, to be directed by RJ Balaji (a project that was first announced as an A R Rahman musical!). And then we have 25-year-old Amrit Ramnath, son of Bombay Jayashri who already made his Malayalam debut with Varshangalkku Shesham this year, is making his Tamil debut with the next movie starring Siddharth!
Composer of the year: Govind Vasantha
Top 20 film songs, 2024 – Tamil
- Thenkizhakku – Vaazhai (Santhosh Narayanan)
- Jimikky’s Ghazal – Star (Yuvan Shankar Raja)
- Manasula – Viduthalai 2 (Ilayaraja)
- Yaarum Kaanadha – Fight Club (Govind Vasantha)
- Railai ThaLLum Meghame – Blue Star (Govind Vasantha)
- Raja Paya Onnu – Maharaja (B. Ajaneesh Loknath)
- Poda Po – Jama (Ilayaraja)
- Oh Raaya – Raayan (A R Rahman)
- Mannavan – Election (Govind Vasantha)
- Hey Minnale – Amaran (GV Prakash Kumar)
- Poraen Naa Poraen – Meiyazhagan (Govind Vasantha)
- Thaensudare – Lover (Sean Roldan)
- Kaanaathathai Naan Kandeney – Teenz (D Imman)
- Enai Neengathe Nee – Tharunam (Darbuka Siva)
- Vaada Poda – Emakku Thozhil Romance (Nivas K Prasanna)
- Poruthhiru Selva – Raghu Thatha (Sean Roldan)
- Otha Satti Soru – Vaazhai (Santhosh Narayanan)
- Megham Pol Aagi – Nirangal Moondru (Jakes Bejoy)
- Solo Violin – Nesippaya (Yuvan Shankar Raja)
- Sokka Nanum Nikkiren – Boat (Ghibran Vaibodha)
Telugu
While Pushpa 2’s music made the most noise this year in Telugu films, I felt it didn’t live up to or exceed the considerably better music of the first part. Devi Sri Prasad does seem promising in Thandel, based on one song that has been released so far (and is in my Top 20). My pick for the composer of the year would go to Gopi Sundar who gets his mojo back after a no-show in 2023. His music in The Family Star echoes his previous work with the same director (Parasuram). The surprise was Dhoom Dhaam, though, with a surprisingly good overall soundtrack! With Aa Okkati Adakku, Gopi turns in a great year.
Barring these big-name composers, it is actually the set of lesser known composers who managed to surprise and impress me the most this year: Chaitan Bharadwaj (continuing his good work), Shashank Tirupati, Kalyan Nayak, Karthik Rodriguez, Vishnu Sekhara, and Vijai Bulganin. I also continue to really look forward to anything done by Keeravani’s vastly underrated younger brother, Kalyani Malik.
Composer of the year: Gopi Sundar
Top 20 film songs, 2024 – Telugu
- Nandanandanaa – The Family Star (Gopi Sundar)
- Kanulenduko – Harom Hara (Chaitan Bharadwaj)
- Kanulara – Alanaati Ramachandrudu (Shashank Tirupati)
- Sooseki – Pushpa 2 The Rule (Devi Sri Prasad)
- Hammammo – Aa Okkati Adakku (Gopi Sundar)
- Sa Ri Ma Pa – Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (Jakes Bejoy)
- Daavudi – Devara (Anirudh)
- Nammalani Undi – Jayamundhi Bhayamela Manasaa (Kalyan Nayak)
- Challa Gali – Prabuthwa Junior Kalashala (Karthik Rodriguez)
- Nijama – Honeymoon Express (Kalyani Malik)
- Kalyani Vaccha Vacchaa – The Family Star (Gopi Sundar)
- Anuvanuvuu – Om Bheem Bush (Sunny M. R.)
- Srimathi Garu – Lucky Baskhar (GV Prakash Kumar)
- Maya Sundari – Dhoom Dhaam (Gopi Sundar)
- Chuttamalle – Devara (Anirudh)
- Alli Billi – Kalinga (Vishnu Sekhara)
- Naa Favourite Naa Pellam – Janaka Ayithe Ganaka (Vijai Bulganin)
- Bujjamma – KA (Sam CS)
- Bujji Thalli – Thandel (Devi Sri Prasad)
- Neetho Ila – Appudo Ippudo Eppudo (Karthik)
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Malayalam
Like Tauba Tauba and Aaj Ki Raat in Hindi, the music of Aavesham (and ‘Illuminati’ in particular) would easily be a Malayalee phenomenon, if not a pan-Indian one too 🙂 After the no-show in 2023 (no, Romanchanam did not work for me at all), Sushin came back, guns blazing!
The return of Vidyasagar (Marivillin Gopurangal) was brief. Too brief. Last year’s star, Vishnu Vijay, continues to produce mighty interesting music that defies genres; and Premalu is a solid example. A R Rahman’s The Goat Life was hugely hyped and bungled in terms of music release. Still, it was a solid return to Malayalam by Rahman.
I did miss the regulars like Bijibal, Shaan Rahman and Govind Vasantha in the Malayalam music scene, but a fresh set of composers seem to have taken over: Kailas Menon, Prakash Alex, Christo Xavier, Sadique Pandallur, Midhun Mukundan, Dawn Vincent, Ashwin Aryan, and Mejo Joseph. Like Anirudh, Sam CS, and GV Prakash Kumar’s cross-industry movement, it’s good to see composers like Dhibu Ninan Thomas (ARM) and Christo Xavier (Sookshmadarshini in Malayalam, Sorgavaasal in Tamil) move across Malayalam and Tamil.
Composer of the year: Sushin Shyam
Top 20 film songs, 2024 – Malayalam
- Sthuthi – Bougainvillea (Sushin Shyam)
- Jaada – Aavesham (Sushin Shyam)
- Manam Manam – Marivillin Gopurangal (Vidyasagar)
- Omane – Aadujeevitham—The Goat Life (A R Rahman)
- Mini Maharani – Premalu (Vishnu Vijay)
- Madabhara Mizhiyoram – Malaikottai Vaaliban (Prashant Pillai)
- Kireedam – Nadikar (Yakzan Gary Pereira & Neha S Nair)
- Dhurooha Manthahasame – Sookshmadarshini (Christo Xavier)
- Naam Chernna Vazhikalil – Little Hearts (Kailas Menon)
- Kinavu Menjoru Koodu – Partners (Prakash Alex)
- Illuminati – Aavesham (Sushin Shyam)
- Mele Vaanam – Palayam PC (Sadique Pandallur)
- Nebulakal (Travel Song) – Manjummel Boys (Sushin Shyam)
- Pirakilaro – Pavi Caretaker (Midhun Mukundan)
- Love Jawan – Nadikar (Yakzan Gary Pereira & Neha S Nair)
- Madhu Pakaroo – Varshangalkku Shesham (Amrit Ramnath)
- Premalola – Sureshanteyum Sumalathayudeyum Hrudayahariyaya Pranayakadha (Dawn Vincent)
- Kiliye – ARM (Dhibu Ninan Thomas)
- Kaalame – Kadha Innuvare (Ashwin Aryan)
- Nin Mizhiyil – Oshana (Mejo Joseph)
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Kannada
Just like last year, Arjun Janya and Ajaneesh Loknath rule the Kannada film music world. Last year’s star, Charanraj, was less visible this year. Ajaneesh, beyond his Tamil and Telugu outings, seems to have nailed the local music scene. Everything he does seems interesting at the very least, if not great. While Arjun Janya was all over last year in many movies, his limited movies this year produced excellent output. Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi is a great example – excellent, listenable music all through.
The only other composer who stood out this year, to me, was Vasuki Vaibhav, with Kotee.
Composer of the year: Arjun Janya and B. Ajaneesh Loknath
Top 20 film songs, 2024 – Kannada
- Parichayavade – Bagheera (B. Ajaneesh Loknath)
- Dwapara – Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi (Arjun Janya)
- Janatha City – Kotee (Vasuki Vaibhav)
- Chiguru Chiguru – Vishnu Priya (Gopi Sundar)
- I Love You Kane – Bheema (Charanraj MR)
- Hudukutha Hode – Aaram Araavindaswamy (Arjun Janya)
- Kannalli Kannidu – Bhageera (B Ajaneesh Loknath)
- Chandasina Chandadalli – Somu Sound Engineer (Charanraj MR)
- Hey Gagana – Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi (Arjun Janya)
- Nagunaguta Edebadita – Tenant (Girish Hothur)
- Dava Dava – Anshu (K C Balasarangan)
- Kavithe Kavithe – Yuva (B Ajaneesh Loknath)
- Troll Song – UI The Movie (B Ajaneesh Loknath)
- Samaya – Murphy (Arjun Janya)
- Helu Gelathi – Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali (Gagan Baderiya)
- Tang Tang – Royal (Charanraj MR)
- Kaadadeye Hegirali – Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi (Arjun Janya)
- Gaali Geethe – Sapta Sagaradaache Ello—Side B (Charanraj MR)
- Naa Ninage Nee Nanage – Maryade Prashne (Arjun Ramu)
- Naane Krishna Naane Shaam – Royal (Charanraj MR)
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Indipop/Non-film/Assorted
Unlike the last two years, I felt that the quality of Indipop music was considerably better in 2024. So, instead of 10-odd songs, I’m going with 20 each (across Hindi, Tamil, and the rest). In terms of singers who are composers, I’m most impressed with both Jonita and Sanjith Hegde, who straddle the worlds of film music and independent music with ease. That they are also moving across multiple languages is even more interesting. As far as composers go, Salim-Sulaiman are the ones to watch. Their YouTube channel (and music label of sorts) has been producing consistently good music, featuring top singers.
The Tamil pop music world’s star is clearly Sai Abhyankkar, this year. To produce two chartbusters back-to-back in one year is no ordinary feat. Also, Coke Studio Tamil’s output this year was far better than previous years.
If I were to pick an Indipop album + artist of the year 2024, it would be Varijashree Venugopal and her debut album, Vari. It is firmly rooted in Kannada ethos, but with music that transcends multiple genres and sounds that can be called global.
Indipop – Hindi
- Love Like That – Ariza, ft. Jonita and Ali Sethi
- Chor – Justh
- Gulaabo – Sanjith Hegde
- Janaabe Jaaniya – Gulraj Singh
- Jaagan Jaago – Hriday Gattani
- Jiya Laage Na – Rochak Kohli, ft. Shilpa Rao and Mohit Chauhan
- Ittefaq – OAFF & Savera
- Aqda – The Yellow Diary
- Ghanan – Bawari (Shreya Jain, ft. Sanah Moidutty)
- Tum Yaad Aaye – Anmol Daniel, ft. Papon
- Chhaila – Salim-Sulaiman, ft. Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan
- Sahiba – Jasleen Royal, ft. Stebin Ben
- Paayal – Yo Yo Honey Singh
- Hold On – Sunny M.R, ft. Dhvani Bhanushali
- It Is What It Is (Madhaniya) – Jonita
- Rehne De – Subah Ke Taare (Lucky Ali, Mikey McCleary)
- Jaane Kaise – Somanshu, Rutvxk
- Kanhaiya Gopala – Salim-Sulaiman, ft. Shreya Ghoshal
- Bawla – Maati Season 1 (Mikey McCleary and Parth Parekh)
- Doob Rahe – Abhijeet Srivastava, ft. Aanchal Tyagi and Varun Jain
Indipop – Tamil
- Aasa Kooda – Sai Abhyankkar
- Please Purinjukko – Coke Studio Tamil (Sean Roldan, ft. Aditi Rao Hydari)
- Katchi Sera – Sai Abhyankkar
- Kaakarattan – Coke Studio Tamil (GV Prakash Kumar, ft. Rajalakshmi, Vidya Vox)
- Arutperum Jothi – Anbenum Peruveli (Sean Roldan, ft. Sanjay Subrahmanyan)
- Raasaathi – Valliamma Peraandi (Arivu)
- OCB – Shiv Paul, ft. Paal Dabba
- Rebirth of Mystical Abheri – Agam
- Kaadhal Alaipayuthey – Amrit Ramnath
- Lovendra Cassandra – Marshall Robinson (Marshall Robinson)
- Sikkimukki – R. Sanjay, ft. Malvi Sundaresan
- Orumaiyudan – Anbenum Peruveli (Sean Roldan, ft. Sanjay Subrahmanyan)
- Night in Paris – Ben Human
- Sollu – Vivek-Mervin, ft. Nithyashree
- Nee Nee Nee – Andrea Jeremiah x Abby V x MS Jones
- Saarbaaga – Valliamma Peraandi (Arivu)
- Kanavugal Kanden – 100,000 Dreams (Amrit Ramnath)
- Kalyana Kacheri – Coke Studio Tamil (Justin Prabhakaran, ft. Kapil Kapilan and Sithara Krishnakumar)
- Poti – Maalavika Sundar
- Kaadhal En Kaathil – Sanah Moidutty
Rest 20 – Indipop (beyond Hindi and Tamil)/Other Indian film music (besides the 5 above)/Subcontinental music
- Zalmi Yama – Abdullah Siddiqui (Official anthem of Peshawar Zalmi, Pakistan Super League 9)
- Harivaa Jhari – Vari (Varijashree Venugopal) – Kannada
- Title song – Majha Yek Number (Ajay-Atul) – Marathi
- Taambdi Chaamdi – Kratex, Shreyas – Marathi
- Born Superstar – NEXA Music (Karan Pandav, ft. Raja Kumari) – Telugu
- Kudilikke Hatthidyanna – Shakkar (Raghu Dixit) – Kannada
- Gulzar – Natania, ft. Subhi – Punjabi
- Sadqay – Aashir Wajahat, NAYEL, co-composed by M.ZHE
- Jatra – Voyage 2 (Dhruv Ghanekar)
- Mandahaasa – Sanjith Hegde – Kannada
- Jahir Jhala Jagala – Yek Number (Ajay-Atul) – Marathi
- Bora Bora – AP Dhillon ft. Ayra Starr – Punjabi
- Nange Allava – Sanjith Hegde – Kannada
- Vandan Ho – Sangeet Manapmaan (Shankar Mahadevan) – Marathi
- Kali Bindi – Sanju Rathod – Marathi
- Aar Kobe? – Arijit Singh – Bangla
- Aamaar Dugga – Monali Thakur – Bangla
- Mon Pakhi – Babli (Indraadip Dasgupta) – Bangla
- Sundarakalebara – Music Mojo Season 7 (Bineetha Ranjith Music Company) – Malayalam
- Just Us – Aashir Wajahat
