It’s that time of the year again, when you get inundated with year-end roundup articles. If you still have it in you for another musical review of the year from across multiple languages, I present Music Aloud’s best of 2017 compilation. Continuing my routine from the last few roundups, there are lists representing Hindi films, Malayalam films, Tamil films, Indie/Indipop songs and a final list containing an assortment of songs from Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali and Punjabi films. As usual, I have considered only movies/albums that released this year. Not going to write much, will let you enjoy the songs – each list has associated playlists both on Youtube and Apple Music, linked at the end of the respective list. I did write about the Hindi music scene on The Hindu and Film Companion, if you are keen on reading up.
Usually this exercise tends to be the most strenuous one that I undertake every year, but 2017 has been the year of massive lists for me. First there were the “Best of Music Mojo” lists created for Music Aloud’s eighth birthday, where I picked up eighty of the show’s best songs from across four seasons. And then the even bigger project for Film Companion, selecting favourite Bollywood albums between 1940 and 2016. In short, it has been an exhausting year! Hoping for a less hectic 2018. Wish you all an amazing year ahead as well! The lists, then.
(The artwork has been designed, as usual, by the awesomest @cookydoh)
Bollywood Top 25
- Safar (Jab Harry Met Sejal) – Pritam|Arijit Singh|Irshad Kamil
- Barfani (Babumoshai Bandookbaaz) – Gaurav Dagaonkar|Armaan Malik|Ghalib Asad Bhopali
- Rafu (Tumhari Sulu) – Santanu Ghatak|Ronkini Gupta|Santanu Ghatak
- Khol De Baahein (Meri Pyaari Bindu) – Sachin Jigar|Monali Thakur|Kausar Munir, Rana Mazumder
- Benazaara (Mom) – A R Rahman|Sudeep Jaipurwale|Traditional
- Kanha (Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan) – Tanishk-Vayu|Shashaa Tirupati|Vayu
- Ullu Ka Pattha (Jagga Jasoos) – Pritam|Arijit Singh, Nikhita Gandhi|Amitabh Bhattacharya
- Yeh Ishq Hai (Rangoon) – Vishal Bhardwaj|Arijit Singh|Gulzar
- Sahiba (Phillauri) – Shashwat Sachdev|Romy|Anvita Dutt
- Sunn Bhavra (OK Jaanu) – A R Rahman|Shashaa Tirupati|Gulzar
- Ghar (Jab Harry Met Sejal) – Pritam|Nikhita Gandhi|Irshad Kamil
- O Re Manwa (Secret Superstar) – Amit Trivedi|Meghna Mishra|Kausar Munir
- Chal Tu Apna Kaam Kar (Newton) – Rachita Arora|Amit Trivedi|Irshad Kamil
- Majaa Ni Life (Simran) – Sachin Jigar|Shalmali Kholgade|Vayu
- Udi Udi Jaaye (Raees) – Ram Sampath|Sukhwinder Singh, Bhoomi Trivedi, Karsan Sagathia|Javed Akhtar
- Dheemi (Trapped) – Alokananda Dasgupta|Tejas Menon|Rajeshwari Dasgupta
- Jhumritalaiya (Jagga Jasoos) – Pritam|Arijit Singh, Mohan Kannan|Neelesh Mishra
- Udanchoo (Qaidi Band) – Amit Trivedi|Arijit Singh, Yashita Sharma|Kausar Munir
- Hai Zaroori (Noor) – Amaal Mallik|Prakriti Kakar|Kumaar
- Iss Tarah (Meri Pyaari Bindu) – Sachin Jigar|Clinton Cerejo, Dominique Cerejo|Kausar Munir
- Badnaam Jiya (Anaarkali Of Aarah) – Rohit Sharma|Rekha Bhardwaj|Ravinder Randhawa
- Tukda Tukda (Mirza Juuliet) – Krsna Solo|Asees Kaur|Sandeep Nath
- Mere Miyan Gaye England (Rangoon) – Vishal Bhardwaj|Rekha Bhardwaj|Gulzar
- Chal Kahin (Mom) – A R Rahman|Shashaa Tirupati|Irshad Kamil
- Jaane De (Qarib Qarib Singlle) – Vishal Mishra|Atif Aslam|Raj Shekhar
Honorary Mentions
- Ishquiya (Lipstick Under My Burkha) – Zeb Bangash|Neeti Mohan|Anvita Dutt
- Meer-e-Kaarwaan (Lucknow Central) – Rochak Kohli|Amit Mishra, Neeti Mohan|Adheesh Varma
- Dhoondlo (Tu Hai Mera Sunday) – Amartya Rahut|Arijit Singh|Milind Dhaimade
- Na Jaa (Jia Aur Jia) – Nisschal Zaveri|Nandini Srikar|Raqeeb Alam
- Bandook Meri Laila (A Gentleman) – Sachin Jigar|Ash King, Jigar Saraiya, Raftaar|Vayu
Malayalam Top 25
- Chenthar Nermozhi (Kambhoji) – M Jayachandran|K S Chithra, Sreevalsan J Menon|O N V Kurup
- Ayalathe (Angamaly Diaries) – Prashant Pillai|Shreekumar Vakkiyil|Rafeeque P S
- Kannile Poikayil (Thondimuthalum Driksaakshiyum) – Bijibal|Bijibal|Rafeeq Ahammed
- Kasavu (Udaharanam Sujatha) – Gopi Sunder|Gayathri Varma|D Santhosh
- Sita Kalyanam (Solo) – Sooraj S Kurup|Sooraj S Kurup, Renuka Arun|Sooraj S Kurup, Sangeeth Ravindran
- Nanavere (Njandukalude Naatil Oridavela) – Justin Varghese|Tessa Chavara, Vipin Lal|Santhosh Varma
- Pranavaakaram (E) – Rahul Raj|Saritha Ram|Vinayak Sasikumar
- Oru Puzhayarikil (Munthirivallikal Thalirkumbol) – Bijibal|Shweta Mohan|Rafeeq Ahammed
- Akasham Panthalu Ketti (Rakshadhikari Baiju) – Bijibal|Sudeep Kumar|B K Harinarayanan
- Mizhiyil Ninnum (Mayaanadhi) – Rex Vijayan|Shahabaz Aman, Neha Nair|Anwar Ali
- Ekayai Nee (Kaattu) – Deepak Dev|Unnikrishnan|Rafeeq Ahammed
- Jimikki Kammal (Velipaadinte Pusthakam) – Shaan Rahman|Vineeth Sreenivasan, Renjith Unni|Anil Panachooran
- Ormakal (Parava) – Rex Vijayan, Neha Nair, Yakzan Gary Pereira|Dulquer Salmaan|Vinayak Sasikumar
- Aigiri Nandini (Solo) – Thaikkudam Bridge|Govind Menon, Meera|Thaikkudam Bridge, Dhanya Suresh
- Do Naina (Angamaly Diaries) – Prashant Pillai|Shreekumar Vakkiyil|Preeti Pillai
- Kaattil (Mayaanadhi) – Rex Vijayan|Shahabaz Aman|Vinayak Sasikumar
- Ozhukiyozhuki (Oru Cinemaakkaaran) – Bijibal|Shweta Mohan, Haricharan|Rafeeq Ahammed
- Kaayalirambile (Paipin Chuvattile Pranayam) – Bijibal|Anne Amie Vazhappilly, Bijibal|Santhosh Varma
- Ethetho Swapnamo (Avarude Raavukal) – Sankar Sharma|Vaisakh C Madhav|Siby Padiyara
- Enthavo (Njandukalude Naattil Oridavela) – Justin Varghese|Sooraj Santhosh|Santhosh Varma
- Thambiraan (Ezra) – Sushin Shyam|Vipin Raveendran|Anwar Ali
- Ivalaro (Oru Mexican Aparatha) – Manikandan Ayyappan|Vijay Yesudas|Rafeeq Ahammed
- Aaro Nenjil (Godha) – Shaan Rahman|Gowry Lekshmi|Manu Manjith
- Olathin (Clint) – Ilayaraja|Shreya Ghoshal|Prabha Varma
- Sunnath Kalyanam (Aana Alaralodalaral) – Shaan Rahman|Mithun Jayaraj, Gowri Lekshmi|Vineeth Sreenivasan
Honorary Mentions
- Akale Oru Kaadinte (Ramante Edanthottam) – Bijibal|Shreya Ghoshal|Santhosh Varma
- Sajan Morey (Solo) – Filter Coffee|Jahnvi Shrimankar, Mahesh Vinayakram, Swarupa Ananth|Traditional
- Anguli Sparsham (Kambhoji) – M Jayachandran|Bombay Jayashree|Vinod Mankara
- Madhumathiye (Sakhavu) – Prashant Pillai|Shreekumar Vakkiyil|Shabareesh Varma
- Aaromale (C/o Saira Banu) – Mejo Joseph|Chinmayi|B K Harinarayanan
Tamil Top 25
- Sarattu Vandiyila (Kaatru Veliyidai) – A R Rahman|A. R. Reihana, Nikhita Gandhi, Tippu|Vairamuthu
- Vaanam (Power Paandi) – Sean Roldan|Ananthu|Selvaraghavan
- Asaindhadum (Aruvi) – Vedanth Bharadwaj, Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy|Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy|Kutti Revathi
- Nee Uravaaga (Paambhu Sattai) – Ajeesh|Haricharan, Shreya Ghoshal|Yugabharathi
- Uyiraagi (Solo) – Agam|Shashaa Tirupati|Mohan Raj
- Yaanji (Vikram Vedha) – Sam C S|Anirudh Ravichander, Shaktisree Gopalan, Sathyaprakash|Mohan Raj
- Nee Paarkum (Thiruttu Payale 2) – Vidyasagar|Sathyaprakash|Pa Vijay
- Paarthen (Power Paandi) – Sean Roldan|Sean Roldan, Shweta Mohan|Selvaraghavan
- Ithu Varai Naan (Padai Veeran) – Karthik Raja|Chinmayi|Priyan
- Azhagiye (Kaatru Veliyidai) – A R Rahman|Arjun Chandy, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi|Madhan Karky, Navneet Virk
- Ammukkuttiye (Gemini Ganeshanum Suruli Rajanum) – D.Imman|Pradeep Kumar|Yugabharathi
- Megamo Aval (Meyaadha Maan) – Santhosh Narayanan, Pradeep Kumar|Pradeep Kumar, Anandhu|Vivek
- Kukkotti Kunatti (Aruvi) – Vedanth Bharadwaj, Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy|Vedanth Bharadwaj, Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy, Praniti Praveen Kumar|Kutti Revathi
- Roshomon (Solo) – Prashant Pillai|Ashwin Gopakumar, Niranj Suresh, Arun Kamath|Mohan Raj
Yendi Unna Maanagaram - Yendi Unna (Maanagaram) – Javed Riaz|Karthik|Lalithanand
- Nee Kavidhaigalaa (Maragatha Naanayam) – Dhibu Ninan Thomas|Pradeep Kumar|GKB
- Yaenadi (Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay) – D.Imman| Karthik, Shreya Ghoshal|Yugabharathi
- Haiyo Konjam (Hara Hara Mahadevaki) – Balamurali Balu, Vishal Chandrasekhar|Gaana Kadal, Sindhuri Vishal Chandrashekar|Santhosh P Jayakumar, Gaana Kadal
- Rail Aaraaroo (Nenjil Thunivirundhal) – D.Imman|Pradeep Kumar, Shreya Ghoshal|Yugabharathi
- Tasakku Tasakku (Vikram Vedha) – Sam C S|Mugesh, M. L. R. Karthikeyan, Guna|Muthamil
- Mella Mella Sollava (Maayavan) – Ghibran|Shweta Subram, Abshek|Soundararajan K
- Idhayane (Velaikkaran) – Anirudh Ravichandar|Anirudh Ravichander, Neeti Mohan|Madhan Karky
- Azhagile Enai (Kathiruppor Pattiyal) – Sean Roldan|Pradeep Kumar|Yugabharathi
- Gubu Gubu Gubu (Magalir Mattum) – Ghibran|Karthi|Vivek
- Innum Enna (Kootathil Oruthan) – Justin Prabhakaran|Haricharan, B. Mac|Kabilan, B. Mac
Honorary Mentions
- Paathum Paakkaama (Kurangu Bommai) – B Ajaneesh Loknath|Shankar Mahadevan|J Francis Kiruba
- Nenje Nenje (Sema) – G V Prakash Kumar|Siddharth Mahadevan, Shashaa Tirupati|Yugabharathi
- Laali Laali (Theeran) – Ghibran|Ghibran, Sathyaprakash, Pragathi Guruprasad|Raju Murugan
- Semparuthi (Indrajith) – KP|Bombay Jayashree|Pulavar Pulamaipithan
- Nee Paadhi (Kanavu Variyam) – Shyam Benjamin|Guna, Mahalakshmi Iyer|Arun Chidambaram
Non Film Top 25
- North Star (The Last Analog Generation) – Blackstratblues
- Dil Haare (Side B) – Ankur Tewari
- Naadu (Single) – Varkey & Friends, Sooraj Santhosh, Aparna Balamurali
- Sleep Awake (Zia) – Aswekeepsearching
- Uproar (Single) – Rasika Shekar
- The Awakening (Change Fiction) – Palindroma
- Herua Batot (Notun Puhor) – Papon
- Bas Teri Raah (Single) – Srinidhi Ghatate
- Ankahee (Single) – Sona Mohapatra
- You Want (Make It Happen) – Tejas
- Aaftaab (Single) – The Local Train
- City Slums (Single) – Raja Kumari feat. Divine
- Tukde Utha Rahe Hai (Ghazal Gaze) – Gayathri Ashokan
- Firefly (Joy of Little Things) – When Chai Met Toast
- A World gone Mad (Single) – Thermal And A Quarter
- Here’s To You (As Written in the Stars) – Easy Wanderlings
- Kannamma (Single) – Sachin Warrier
- Kalapila (Single) – Street Academics
- Dhadkane Azaad Hai (Single) – Shreya Ghoshal
- Boogie (Single) – Everafter
- Tiranga (The Flying Lotus) – A R Rahman
- Suede Gully (Single) – Various
- Agla Savera (Single) – Swarathma, Clinton Cerejo feat. Bianca Gomes
- Never Wanted You (Unbound) – Roshni Baptist
- Pesaamal (Mounam Sollum Vaarthaigal) – Amrita Jayakumar, Nithin Raj
Top 25 – Other Language Film Songs
- Priyakara (YZ) – Hrishikesh, Saurabh, Jasraj|Ketaki Mategaonkar, Swapnil Bandodkar|Amaru (Amarushataka) & Kalidas (Shakuntal)
- Badal Jo (Ti Ani Itar) – Vasuda Sharma|Ankita Joshi, Aditi Paul|Mandar Cholkar
- Gandha Ajunahi (Baapjanma) – Gandhaar|Jaydeep Vaidya|Kshitij Patwardhan
- FaFe Song (Faster Fene) – Troy – Arif| Riteish Deshmukh|Prashant Ingole
- Apanehi Rang Mein (Hampi) – Narendra Bhide|Rahul Deshpande|Vaibhav Joshi
- Marugelara O Raghava (Hampi) – Aditya Bedekar|Rupali Moghe|Omkar Kulkarni
- Virlya Kevha (Mala Kahich Problem Nahi) – Hrishikesh-Saurabh-Jasraj|Abhay Jodhpurkar, Priyanka Barve|Guru Thakur
- Ashi Kashi (Dry Day) – Ashwin Srinivasan|Jonita Gandhi & Ash King|Jai Atre
- Hich Amuchi Praarthana (Ubuntu) – Kaushal Inamdar|Ajit Parab & Mugdha Vaishampain|Sameer Samant
- Ya Re Ya (Ventillator) – Rohan, Rohan|Rohan Pradhan|Manoj Yadav & Shantaram Mapuskar
- Chukatay (Muramba) – Jasraj Jayant Joshi, Saurabh Bhalerao & Hrishikesh Datar|Amey Wagh|Vaibhav Joshi
- Aga Aika Na (Muramba) – Shailendra Barve|Rohit Raut & Anandi Joshi|Jitendra Joshi
- Bharbharat Bardi (Barad) – Rohan Rohan|Rohan Pradhan|Dr. Mithila Kapadnis
- Sabhovati Tujhe Hasu (Hostel Days) – Ajay Kishor Naik|Kumar Sanu & Bela Shende|Manndar Cholkar
- Motte Song (Ondu Motteya Kathe) – Midhun Mukundan|Sooraj Santosh, Mridula Mukundan|Raj B Shetty
- Chanda Avalu (Ondu Motteya Kathe) – Midhun Mukundan|Midhun Mukundan|Vishwajith Rao, Raj B Shetty
- Mugilu Belmugilu (Pushpaka Vimana) – Charan Raj|Hari Charan|K. Kalyan
- Kanna Hani (Urvi) – Manoj George|K.S. Chithra|Suvarna Sharma
- Thili Prema (Urvi) – Manoj George|Madhushree Narayan and Charan Raj|Suvarna Sharma
- O Sanjeya Hoove (Chamak) – Judah Sandy|Haricharan, Priya Himesh|Vishwajith
- Kanna Nidurinchara (Baahubali 2) – M.M. Keeravaani|Sreenidhi, V. Srisoumya|M.M. Keeravaani
- Hamsa Naava (Baahubali 2) – M.M. Keeravaani|Sony,Deepu|Chaithanya Prasad
- Telisiney Na Nuvvey (Arjun Reddy) – Radhan|Revanth|Rambabu Gosala
- Bhalobhasar Gaan (Samantaral) – Inrdraadip Das Gupta|Parambrata Chattopadhyay|Consuelo Velázquez & Lalon
- Hawa Vich (Super Singh) – Jatinder Shah|Diljit Dosanjh & Sunidhi Chauhan|Ranbir Singh
