Even though we’ve just entered the December and 2012 is exactly just 30 days away from us, it’s worth looking back and recollecting the musical memories across the year. A closer look at some popular YouTube videos this year reveals a rather remarkable shift in the musical taste of the mainstream Indian audience. From Bhaag DK Bose to Why This Kolaveri Di, the Indian mainstream music has been lyrically lenient while catching up with the young audience in an unprecedented fashion.
Let’s take a look at 8 of such YouTube videos that rocked the nation and sucked the bandwidth of many Internet users.
Song#8: Saadda Haq (1,364,989 Views)
The track Saadda Haq from the movie “Rockstar” became an instant hit with the mainstream audience, boasting of a powerful set of lyrics with a rebellious tone. Sung by Mohit Chauhan, this song was composed by Academy Award Winner A.R. Rahman who roped in Orianthi, (the lead guitarist in Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” tour) to play the guitar chords in the song. The Hook (music) ‘Sadda haq aithe rakh’ repeated many times throughout the song is in Punjabi language. It contextually means “Keep our right back from where you took it away”.
Song#7: Ooh La La (1,613,983 Views)
The movie (The Dirty Picture) is yet to be released, but the track (Ooh La La) has already swept the nation with its retro musical tempo which has a twang of 80’s Bollywood music. The massive popularity of the track has also a lot to do with the sumptuous visuals powered by the irresistible oomph of actress Vidya Balan who plays the role of Silk Smitha, the southern seductress in the 80’s. All in all, the track is catching up with the youth Internet audience for reasons that aren’t too far to seek.
Song#6: Hale Dil (1,718,252 Views)
Call it the influence of rhythm & blues on the Indian music or what you will, Hale Dil, sung by Harshit Saxena is one of those few romantic numbers in Bollywood music that bring back the romance even in the direst of the situations. For the sheer melody of the music, and of course, supported by onscreen chemistry of Emraan Hashmi and Jacqueline Fernandes, the track still remains as one of the most visually coveted music videos on YouTube.
Song#5: Dum Maro Dum (2,559,830 Views)
Arguably one of the raunchiest item numbers in the contemporary Bollywood music, and the most powerful cameo performance of Deepika Padukone, Dum Maro Dum (the name of the track as well as the movie) doesn’t just revive the charismatic charms of the golden era of Bollywood in the 80’s, but also takes the cover version of the old song to an all-new level. No wonder then why the music video has received over 2 million hits since it went online.
Song#4: Bhaag DK Bose (2,672,866 Views)
Never ever in their wildest imagination had anyone thought of this track being a chartbuster in 2011 but for the new-found musical taste of Indian youth audience that understands the sound of bass guitar, and thrives on hard rock and death metal. Bhaag DK Bose from Delhi Belly is perhaps the most effectively promotional music video which classically portrays the theme of the movie. The wide approval of the song supported by its wacky lyrics radically changed the way Bollywood music directors perceive Indian audience.
Song#3: Chammak Challo (7,724,043 Views)
What happens when the most successful musical director duo rope in an established hip-hop rapper from the US? Chammak Challo, clinically composed by the famous Vishal-Shekhar for the movie Ra.One and sung by Akon, ushered in an era of musical collaboration in Bollywood music industry like never before. Chammak Challo has been dubbed as the “trademark of Ra.One’s publicity campaign”. There are four other versions of the song in the album, including a remix by Abhijit Vaghani, another remix by DJ Khushi and an international version sung solely by Akon with no female vocals.
Song#2: Why This Kolaveri Di (11,257,490 Views)
As if the Indian music industry had saved the best to last, Kolaveri, a promotional track from the upcoming Tamil movie 3, emerged out of nowhere and achieved the significance of a national anthem among the youth audience across India. Although technically, it’s pretty rare for a regional track to gain widespread approval of such magnitude, the track “Why This Kolaveri Di” has by far risen above the regional divide between the North and South, and united the country with its hallmark simplicity in terms of lyrical interpretation and peppy melody.
Song#1: Teri Meri (17,318,141 Views)
Even as you find Kolaveri reverberating in your ears for it has barged into the cell phones of nearly everyone around you, the nation is still in reverence with the romantic track Teri Meri (from the movie Bodyguard) with its YouTube video registering massive number of hits since the song went online in August.
