An Introduction To: Bollywood Music!

Welcome to a new series by me! I have been falling down various music rabbit holes as of late, and well, Bollywood, as one of my favorite musical genres/segments ever, has been something I have constantly revisited. I know many of my readers are not Bollywood fans, but I think they might enjoy it. Hence, with this post, I will give five albums that I think would be solid introductions to Bollywood as a whole.

Note: Each album here is in a completely different style, I'd try all five before giving a quit to your quest through Bollywood, at the very least.

Note: I embedded YouTube videos compiling these albums, but one could also regularly find these albums on Spotify.

Shankar-Jaikishan - Chori Chori

Shankar-Jaikishan are my favorite pop composers of all time, and some of the greatest musicians to have ever walked the Earth. Back in the late '50s and early '60s, they went through a frankly legendary streak of albums. Chori Chori is right at the heart of this imperial phase, and probably in my top 3 Bollywood albums ever. It isn't my favorite by Shankar-Jaikishan, but I feel it is a great introduction to their sound. As the film was a remake of It Happened One Night, their songwriting here is slightly more pop-oriented than normally, making it a solid introduction.

Notice the golden melodies here. Each hook is fantastic, with simple production largely acting as an assist to the melodies and evergreen vocals. That said, they are still some glorious productional flourishes. The album is largely sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey, some of my favorite vocalists ever, so that is a massive plus. If you like Chori Chori, I suggest following it up with Shankar-Jaikishan's Shree 420, followed by Awaara and Barsaat. Afterwards, check out the work of S.D. Burman with Pyaasa and Salil Choudhary's Madhumati.

R.D. Burman - Kati Patang

The early '70s saw the rise of a new force in Bollywood, R.D. Burman. Up till the late '80s, his sound dominated what every other composer attempted to do. Kati Patang is one of his most influential albums. Notice the tinge of rock throughout the album, especially on Yeh Shaam Mastaani. The album features some songs from previous Burman Bengali albums (check out Rajkumari to start down that path). If you enjoy this one, follow it up with Burman's Sholay, Teesri Manzil, and Salil Choudhary's Anand.

Bappi Lahiri - Disco Dancer

If R.D. Burman's love of rock opened the doors to Western pop influences, then Bappi Lahiri destroyed an entire wall with Disco Dancer. Notice how Lahiri basically plagiarizes Western melodies and reconvenes them in a new, Indian style. Read this excellent review on RateYourMusic for more details. If you enjoy this kitschy disco sound, check out Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki, and Namak Halaal. I'd also see R.D. Burman's Shaan.

Jatin-Lalit - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge

The '90s was somewhat a revival of the melody-first approach of Bollywood last seen in the '50s and '60s. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge was the culmination of all of that. Notice the dramatic strings (and the still omnipresent voice of Lata Mangeshkar) throughout the album. But compared to years before, the hooks are stripped down to their basic, most essential elements. If you enjoy this soothing melodic pop, check out the great songs ever, Pehla Nasha, followed by the following albums; Anand-Milind's Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Raam-Laxman's Maine Pyaar Kiya, and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's Kal Ho Naa Ho.

Pritam - Jab We Met

From the late 2000s up till roughly today, Pritam has changed Bollywood, taking influences from Bhangra, Masala, and Western pop to create a completely new style of Filmi. Jab We Met is my favorite of this style, and perhaps one of my favorites ever. It blends Hindustani elements with Filmi masala, Bhangra, and some wistful pop-rock. If any album ever felt like a journey through India, it is Jab We Met. If you enjoyed it, check out Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani by Pritam once again, and Jeet Gangulli's Aashiqui 2.

Image Source: Whistle and Echoes