The moment I heard Mohammad Irfan sing ‘Banjaara’, I knew it would be hard for any other song to over-take it, ‘Aao Naa’ did came pretty close though.

At end of 2013, I said it would be interesting to see whether Arijit prefers quality or quantity, he went with quantity as we could see his song in every new album that released. The ratio of outstanding songs thereby was less, but there were songs that made to my top25 list, like ‘Khul Kabhi’ from Haider or ‘Samjhawan’ from Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania.

In male singers,  unlike last two years, there wasn’t really anyone who single handedly dominated the year, almost everyone had their fair of success. It was superb to hear Shaan with his ‘Chaar Kadam’ and Sonu Nigam with ‘Bhagwan hai kahan re tu’ as well as ‘Love is a waste of time’ from PK.

Benny Dayal had a good year too, ‘Shake it like shammi’ and ‘Hum na rahein hum’ features in top25. Ash King impresses in ‘Meherbaan’, and so does Ankit in ‘Galliyan’. Among all this, Rahman quietly gave one of best song of the year, ‘Maahi Ve’, as peaceful track as Rehna Tu of Delhi6. Special mention to Bashir Lone, Bashir Bhawani, Muzamil Bhawani and Mayukh Sarkar for ‘So Jao’ track from Haider, very haunting with that digging grave sound.

It was a year of actresses attempting to playback, from Shraddha Kapoor to Alia Bhatt to Priyanka Chopra, and expect it to happen much more now. Shraddha nailed it completely with ‘Teri Galliyan’, even Alia’s version of ‘Samjhawan’ was worth a listen.

Sunidhi and Shreya don’t even have a single song in my top25, unless you consider Samjhawan as Shreya song, which I don’t.

Shilpa rao with ‘Meherbaan’ & ‘Darbadar', Nooran sisters debut (don’t know if they sang before) in ‘Patakha guddi’, Kanika kapoor in ‘Baby doll’, Jasleen Kaur in ‘Preet’ and Nandini Srikar in ‘Harjaiyaan’ were some of the worthy performers. Special mention to Jonita Gandhi for her track ‘Kahaan hoon main’ and Shefali Alvares in ‘O Gujariya’

PK dance theme, Implosive silence from ‘Highway’ and Samrat’s theme (which was only good thing in the movie) were the instrumental tracks worth listening.



Here’s my list of Top100 songs, mostly on basis of my connect with them and not how creative they were.


 TOP 25 SONGS : 



1. Banjaara - ek villain



The song talks about ‘hope’ a guy finds in a new person he meets, and how he feels like changing himself and start a fresh life. This was a easy choice for me, loved the song the day its video promo arrived. Mithoon’s composition (plus lyrics written by him only) and Mohammad Irfan’s brilliant vocals makes this romantic track impossible not to love. It adds to the long list of songs that I love listening in peaceful atmosphere. Love the soft start to the track and minimal use of instruments until the prelude ends.
haan kisi shayar ki ghazal, jo de rooh ko sukoon ke pal… koi mujhko yun mila hai jaise banjaare ko ghar.


2. Aao naa - haider



Its a insane song as it asks you to take that eternal sleep, and there’s no better composer than Vishal Bharadwaj (apart from Rahman) when it comes to insane tracks, remember Ibn batuta or O mama or the famous Dhan te nan. I won’t deny it, there were some occasions when I felt this could be my no.1 song of year, a very addictive track that got attention with its terrific use in the theatrical trailer. Vishal Dadlani’s rendition and Gulzar’s super lyrics make this track to remember. How cool it would be to dig a grave, lie down on it and listen this track, sounds mad but would love to do it.
na shaam na savera, andhera hi andhera.. hai rooho ka basera, so jao. 


3. Maahi ve - highway



I would call this song a lighter version of ‘Rehna Tu’, both talks of a person having a longing for his/her lover, and both are sung by Rahman himself. Also both songs can be heard by relating it to spirituality (which of course I don’t do). As much as I love Rahman as a composer (ignoring his last few works since Rockstar), I have loved him as singer in very few songs, Maahi Ve is one of those. Irshad Kamil probably has written his best songs for Rahman, this one is another proof of that.
yeh jeena bhi, na jeena bhi.. hai dono ka tumse hi vaasta. 


4. Teri galliyan (female) - ek villain



Someone you love, whose memories you wanna live with, that is the feeling this song provides. Ankit Tiwari composition and lyrics by Manoj Muntashir, its Shraddha Kapoor’s haunting voice that attracts the most in this song including the terrific alaap she makes after end of mukhra. Also its nice to listen Ankit sing in a low pitch for a change in the last antara.
teri galliyan galliyan teri galliyan, mujhko bhaave galliyan teri galliyaan… teri galliyan galliyan teri galliyan, yunhi tadpaave galliyan teri galliyan. 


5. Bismil - haider




Telling a story about someone’s murder through a song has been done successfully in past, ‘Dastaan' from Om shanti om or the much famous 'Ek haseena thi' from Karz. Sukhwinder Singh completely nails it in Bismil, plus the kashmiri flavor Vishal brings into the track is commendable. Listening this song with visuals gives goosebumps, everything falls in perfect sync. Special mention to the heavy words used by Gulzar and how effectively he adds the murder lyrics at last with ‘jhelum, jhelum, laal laal hua, laal laal hua laal'.
mushkil-e-dil bhi mushkil hoti hai, dil dhadke dil dil dhadke toh, dhadkan-e-dil bhi harqat-e-dil hoti hai.


6. Awari - ek villain



The song has 2 parallel stories running, one is about a prostitute and her struggles dealing with the way the world sees or wants her, while the other one is about a broken boy who doesn’t feel good about the recent incidents happened with him and his gf/wife. Composed and sung by Soch band (Adnan Dhool and Momina Mustehsan), their original version released in 2012 but personally I find this movie one much better. The sadness is well reflected in the track, specially love the male part in the song.
teri baahon mein jo sukoon tha mila, maine dhoondha bahut tha, phir na mila. 


7. Khul kabhi toh - haider



First of Arijit best songs last year. He looks in complete form in this one, some people may argue that Vishal Bharadwaj himself should had sung it but I feel Arijit made this one much more romantic, and love that harkat he does with that 'hmmmmmm hmmmmm' humming which Vishal so much liked during recording that he kept it into the song. And Gulzar once again does such a superb job in lyrics, specially the way he relates ‘jhuk ke jab jhumka’ and ‘gulmohar jhoom raha tha’ to jealousy.
tu hi tu hai… main kahin nahi. 


8. Samjhawan - humpty sharma ki dulhania



Let me write something to surprise you (or Rahat ali fans), I prefer Arijit version of Samjhawan anyday! The moment I heard him sing ‘main tenu samjhawan ki’ words, I knew this song will work for me. Only disappointment was Shreya Ghoshal final part that spoils the song just like she did in ‘Kaise mujhe’ of Ghajini, wish they kept it just a male version. Kudos to Sharib-Toshi who have recreated the song so wonderfully.
main tenu samjhawan ki, na tere bina lagda jee.. tu ki jaane pyar mera, main karu intezar tera. 


9. Preet - khoobsurat



What a debut song by Jasleen Kaur Royal, I am sure we will get to listen more of her songs in next few years. And after quite a while, Sneha Khanwalkar comes up with a composition to admire, oh how much I missed her songs in 2013! The song talks about a person lost in love thinking if she would had been better not falling in love if she knew it would give pain, the theme isn’t really new but the lyrics by Amitabh Verma gives it a fresh feel.
nain bane banjaare, phirte maare-maare… har pal teri baat nihaare, pal-pal bhar-bhar aaye. 


10. Harjaiyaan - queen



I have been fond of Nandini Srikar ever since that splendid ‘Dua’ track from Shanghai, and then ‘Bhare naina’ from Ra.one. Now she comes up with Harjaiyaan which I totally loved, a song that again talks of same theme like ‘Preet’ i.e a girl lost in love and feeling totally down with lyrics by Anvita Dutt. Good thing about Amit Trivedi is that he usually makes the sad looking tracks look real and not melodramatic.
chunti rahun main yeh lamhe gir kyun hai jaate, kyun bunti main rahun kismat ke dhaage.. jo khud hi main chunoon.


11. Patakha guddi (male) - highway



After Saadda Haq, another song from Rahman that says ‘give a damn to the world’, though this one is much lighter version as its more about a girl seeking freedom. The only reason why I have kept Rahman’s version of song ahead of Nooran sisters is the outstanding rock part that is present in this version. Those beats right after the wordings ‘jaaye bhaad mein duniyadaari woh toh chali chali chali ali o’ are Rahman special. Another Rahman-Irshad combo that hits the right notes.
tu de har gaali pe taali, uski kadam kadam rakhwaali.. ainvayi lok-laaj ki soch soch ke, kyun hai aafat daali. 


12. Shake it like shammi - hasee toh phasee



This should be first major surprise in the list for many. Why I love it? Benny Dayal is the answer! Last year he did it with the full on energy track ‘Batmeez dil’, and now with Shake it like Shammi he repeats the formula of successful dance numbers. ‘Beat baje toh everybody, I gotta shake it like shammi’ words actually make me wanna dance onto the popular steps of Shammi Kapoor. Vishal-Shekhar’s composition and peppy lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, easily a song that will remain on my playlist for many years.
laakh main rokun, ho maane na kamariya nikammi.. beat baje toh, everybodyy.. gotta shake it like shammi.


13. Hungama - queen



Originally composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal and lyrics written by Varma Malik. This re-created track by Amit Trivedi keeps Asha Bhosle voice intact and adds Arijit Singh for small part whose lyrics is written by Anvita Dutt. Amit has done exceptionally well to first off keep the main feel of original as it is and then add his own touch so well. The angst part of Arijit is something to drool on.
dekho na logo ne botalon ki botalein khatam kardi toh kuch na hua, magar, magar.. maine hothon se lagayi toh, hungama ho gaya. 


14. Patakha guddi (female) - highway



Jyoti Nooran and Sultana Nooran have arrived to music industry, and if its anything like this track then they will stay for long. Rahman beautifully composes the track, making Nooran sisters sing together at most places and still making the song not lose any impact. I think there was a song some years back where this attempt of making two singers sing together in sync failed badly, but not the case with this song. And I just loveeee the part ‘maine toh tere tere utte chhadiyaan doriyan’.
rasta naap rahi marjaani, patthi baarish da hai paani.. jab nazdeek jahan de aani, jugni maili si ho jaani.


15. Yaar na miley - kick



Surprise no.2 in my list. Just a song that I couldn’t stop listening again and again. Jasmine Sandlas has a heavy voice that fits this item song and even Nargis on-screen. Yo Yo Honey Singh who has composed this track has his rap going as usual in the track, but its his low pitch (atleast in comparison to his songs) in last antara that catches my attention and also is my fav part of track. If songs can be called entertaining, then this certainly is one of them for me.
mohabbat bhi karke dekhi, kya paaya woh kaise bataayun… dil ka aisa aalam tha ke, dard-e-dil kisko sunaayu, haan main hoon tera gunahgaar, mat dohrana tum abki baar.


16. Meherbaan - bang bang



Finally a Shilpa Rao track! Its a duet with Ash King in a very lovely romantic composition from Vishal-Shekhar. Anvita Dutta and Kumaar have written the lyrics, Anvita specially has written some great songs last year. The film maybe forgettable, but not this track.
rab ne banaya sabko, par kaun bataye rab ko.. mar ke tumpe hum saans lete hai. 


17. Galliyan - ek villain



I am not really fan of Ankit Tiwari’s voice, but this composition by him is indeed really good even with his typical loud pitch singing and those long alaaps. The catch line ‘teri galliyan galliyan teri galliyan, mujhko bhaave galliyan teri galliyan’ is superbly written by Manoj Muntashir, wish 1st antara was better written too which is the weak part of this song. The song works for its romantic feel, though I would anyday prefer the female version of it.
kaisa hai rishta tera-mera, be-chehra phir bhi kitna gehra… yeh lamhe, lamhe yeh resham se, kho jaaye, kho na jaaye humse.


18. Hum naa rahein hum - creature



Another surprise. Again, its Benny Dayal who makes me love this song despite a routine romantic composition by Mithoon. Benny beautifully sings the track that shows a guy who has fallen in love for first time and wants to do anything for his love. Die hard romantics specially would have loved this song as much as I did.
chahe jitni mulaqaatein ho, mujhe kam hi lage.. tere saath guzaaru har din, par dil na bhare.


19. Baatein yeh kabhi na (male) - khamoshiyan



Another romantic track, this one is more on the emotional level. Sayeed Quadri has written some quality songs in past for Vishesh films, its a surprise that I haven’t seen him writing more songs in last 2-3 years. Jeet Ganguli’s composition and very well rendered by Arijit Singh, I totally love the 1st antara.
tu saath hai toh zindagi, tu jo kabhi door rahe… yeh humse ho jaaye ajnabi. 


20. Aaj phir - hate story 2



The 80’s classic song originally composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal and sung by Pankaj Uddas, Anuraddha Paudwal is very well recreated by Arko Mukherjee. Arijit Singh and Samira Koppikar sing this new version with lyrics by Aziz Qaisi and Arko. Specially like how Samira holds her own in this track despite presence of Arijit, also the sensuous feel is more in this new version.
aaj phir tumpe pyaar aaya hai.. behad aur beshumar aaya hai. 


21. Baby doll - ragini mms 2




This song too qualifies as a entertainer, Kanika Kapoor’s rendition and composition from Meet Bros & Anjjan. Lyrics by Kumaar are pretty much ordinary except the main line ‘yeh duniya, yeh duniya pittal di’. Pretty good song to listen when in a happy mood or wanna drift away from emotional numbers.
Ae takdiyaan rehndiyaan ankhaan… main ki dassaan apni ve, ae chan karda hai tareefa.


22. Harry is not bharmchari - shaadi ke side effects



Fun dance number by Pritam, rendition done by Jaazy B, Divya Kumar and Ishq Bector, lyrics from Amitabh Bhattacharya. Only complaint is why the song had only 1 antara, should had been longer.
kamre mein kudiyon ka poster taange, sharmo haya ka har border laange. 


23. Bhagwan hai kahan re tu - pk



Sonu Nigam, he is so brilliant in this track that I just had to keep the song in top25 even though its a religious track (I aint religious at all). If you have seen the movie, then you may connect much more to the song.. brings a lump in the throat. Lovely composition by Shantanu Moitra and terrific lyrics by Swanand Kirkire where a guy from different planet is asking which God he should worship and where can he find him. And I am surprised all award shows preferred Ankit or Arijit as best singer of year, not for me, its Sonu by a big margin!
jo bhi rasmein hai woh saari main nibhaata hoon.. inn karadon ki tarah main sar jhukata hoon.


24. Kill dil - kill dil



Remember ‘Dil Haara’ song from Tashan? That had a very catchy tune but the song was mediocre. Same is the case here, a highly catchy part ‘ka ka ka ka kill kill, da da da dil dil’, sung very well by two veterans Sonu Nigam and Shankar Mahadevan. And there was Gulzar’s shayari lines to begin the song with, yet it fails because the song in totality doesn’t click. The insane feeling is there and about but never comes around completely. S-E-L had a chance to do something on lines of ‘dhan te nan’ but they just couldn’t do it. Still, a track worth listening for that high energy part.
Jee bhar ke, jee mar le, aaj hai, aaj hai, aaj hai, aaj hai.. kal kuch nahi. 


25. Ishq bulaava - hasee toh phasee



Beautiful romantic number by Vishal-Shekhar, sung by Sanam Puri and Shipra Goyal with lyrics penned by Kumaar. Like the punjabi flavor in the song ‘main ta kol tere rehna’ and also the alaap ‘re ra re ra’ used in many parts of song.
paagal main khud nu banaunda ravaan, tu hansdi rave, main hasaunda ravaan… tenu takdaan ravaan.





26 TO 100 SONGS  --------



26. Kahaan hoon main - highway
27. Chaar kadam - pk 
28. Kya khoya - khamoshiyan
29. Palat - main tera hero
30. So jao - haider
31. Muskuraane (arijit) - citylights
32. Zaroorat - ek villain
33. Locha e ulfat - two states
34. Saturday saturday - humpty sharma ki dulhania 
35. Love is a waste of time - pk
36. Baawra - kill dil
37. Kinare - queen
38. Tu har lamha - khamoshiyan 
39. Tu hi tu (female) - kick
40. Drama queen - hasee toh phasee
41. O gujariya - queen
42. Fanny re - finding fanny
43. Chaandaniya - two states
44. Ek aur bismil - haider
45. Satakli - happy new year
46. Suno na sangemarmar - youngistaan
47. Galat baat hai - main tera hero 
48. Darbadar - citylights
49. Jhelum - haider
50. Khamoshiyan - khamoshiyan




51. Muskuraane (irfan) - citylights
52. Mardaani anthem - mardaani
53. Wanna mash up - highway
54. Mileya mileya - happy ending
55. Sajde - kill dil
56. Sharabi - happy new year
57. G phaad ke - happy ending
58. Ek charraiya - citylights
59. Jaise mera tu - happy ending
60. Party with the bhoothnath - bhoothnath returns
61. Tauba main vyaah - shaadi ke side effects
62. Mehboob ki - creature
63. Khamoshiyan (unplugged) - khamoshiyan
64. Hai dil yeh mera - hate story 2
65. Khamakhaan - bewakoofiyaan
66. Tune maari entriyaan - gunday
67. Jumme ki raat - kick
68. London thumakda - queen
69. Haseena tu kameena main - happy ending
70. Subhan allah - khamoshiyan
71. Zehnaseeb - hasee toh phasee
72. Offo - two states
73. Besharmi ki height - main tera hero
74. Hangover - kick 
75. Humdard - ek villain 




76. Taake jhanke - queen
77. Awaara - alone
78. Uff - bang bang
79. Naina - khoobsurat
80. Lovely - happy new year
81. Tu hi tu (male) - kick
82. Indiawaale - happy new year
83. Sweeta - kill dil 
84. Manchala - hasee toh phasee
85. Tabah - heropanti
86. Maa ka phone - khoobsurat
87. Dil aaj kal - purani jeans
88. Ziddi dil - mary kom
89. Tere hoke rahenge (male) - raja natwarlal 
90. Soney do - citylights
91. Abhi toh party shuru huyi hai - khoobsurat
92. Allahda - lekar hum deewana dil 
93. Tu hi hai aashiqui - dishkiyaoon
94. Daawat e ishq - daawat e ishq
95. Party toh banti hai - bhoothnath returns
96. Shukr tera - samrat & co
97. Khalifa - lekar hum deewana dil
98. Tere hoke rahenge (female) - raja natwarlal
99. Mannat - daawat e ishq
100. Paaji tussi such a pussycat - happy ending 



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