The Musical Legacy of Bollywood

From Classics to Chartbusters: The Musical Legacy of Bollywood

Introduction:

The Golden Era of Bollywood music

Music has always been an integral part of bollywood, retro songs are still in the hearts of people no matter if they are from the old gen or the genZ. Retro songs from the golden age 1950s-1960s are the ones.
These songs went from generation to generation and gave the feeling of nostalgia,while also capturing the essence of Indian cinema’s evolution.
The music in bollywood not only focused on a particular type of music but the soulful lyrics, melodious composition and the iconic playback singers who made the music of bollywood mesmerizing.

The 1950s and 1960s: (The Golden Age)

The golden age of bollywood music is marked after independence.
There were the legendary music directors like Naushad, Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan and S.D. Burman who created these timeless melodies which still can't be replaced.
This was the time when everyone saw the rise of legendary playback singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi. Their voice became the soul of bollywood.

The most iconic songs are “Mera Joota Hai Japani” from Shree 420(1955), and “Chaudhvin Ka Chand” from Chaudhvin Ka Chand(1960). These were the most beautiful music lyrics with simplicity.

1970s and 1980s: (The Era of Experimentation)

In this era there was a change with the advent of new music directors like R.D Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal, they were the ones who introduced more contemporary sounds, merged the Indian tradition with western culture without destroying the purity of songs.
In this era people also saw the Kishore Kumar domination as the playback singer. He was more good in his collaborations with R.D Burman.
Songs like “Yeh Shaam Mastani” from Kati Patang (1971), “Chalte Chalte” from Pakeezah (1972) and “Mehbooba Mehbooba” from Sholay (1975) these songs became cultural phenomena.

The Cultural Impact of Retro Songs

The retro songs reflected society through music, these songs were not only about entertainment but also a mirror to the society.
The retro songs reflected the socio-political landscape,and also the struggle of a common man.
Songs like “ Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawano Ka” from Naya Daur (1957) and “Mere Desh Ki Dharti” from Upkar (1967) gave the feel of patriotism and pride.

Patriotic songs were hits but at the same time romantic songs like “ Pyar Hua Iqraar Hua” from Shree (955), and “Kabhie Kabhie Mere Dil Mein” from Kabhie Kabhie 91976) showed the innocence of love.

The Groovy 1980s: Disco and Pop Influence

The 1080s marked the start of disco and pop in bollywood music and also reflected the global trends.
This era saw the rise of disco themed songs that became popular and liked by youth.
Songs like “I am a Disco Dancer” from Disco Dancer (1982) by Bappi Lahiri he was also known as the disco king. He was the one who brought the disco to bollywood.
Asha Bhosle, also known for her versatility adopted the changing trends and delivered hit disco songs like “Jawani Janeman” from Namak Halaal (1982).
For making songs themed in Disco, they used electronic instruments and Pulsating Beats.

The Roots of Bollywood Music

The music in Bollywood was deeply inspired by the culture and the tradition of India. The music directors always made sure about

That people relate with the songs. When Bollywood was not a global phenomenon it was based on the country’s classical traditions and folk music, then got influenced by the western music also keeping our culture in mind. Classical based music was dominant in the beginning of Indian cinema (1930s-40s).

Biswas was the one who brought the orchestration techniques in Indian cinema that were obviously new to the Indian audience.

These were the most important composers for Indian cinema that decided the future of Indian cinema and are still in our minds because of how melodious and meaningful they were.

Here are some of the names of the most iconic playback singers-

ASHA BHOSLE: The queen of versatility.
KISHORE KUMAR: The maverick genius.
MUKESH: The voice of melancholy.
LATA MANGESHKAR: Nightingale of India.

Here are some of the music directors of that golden era-

NAUSHAD ALI: Classical based films.
S.D. BURMAN: Bengali folk with bollywood tunes.
R.D. BURMAN: Blend the indian and western sounds.
LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL: Versatility across genres.

The Changing Era of Music In the ‘90s

The 90s was one of the most important eras for bollywood music, a blend of tradition and modernity also defined the soundscape of Indian Cinema.

This era also witnessed the emergence of the music videos as a part of film promotion. The resurgence of romantic melodies happened in this era, the playback singers became superstars.

The early 90s was dominated by love songs and love films like Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun…! (1994), these movies brought back the charm of romantic music.

Nadeem-Shravan, well known for their melodious tunes in Aashiqui (1990) and Saajan (1991). Their music was simple yet soulful and captured the hearts of millions.

Rise of New Talent

A.R. Rehman’s debut in bollywood music was one of the rise in this decade everyone saw. Debuted in bollywood with Roja (1992) introduced a fresh, contemporary sound which blended Indian classical music even after being influenced by the western.
He worked in Bombay (1995) and Dil Se (1998) redefined bollywood music and made him a star.
On the other hand, singers like Jatin-Lalit gave evergreen hits with soundtracks like Kuch Kuch Hota Hota Hai (1998) and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and combined the emotional depth with youthful energy.
In that time Anu Malik was also making his mark with diverse compositions, from the romantic in Baazigar (1993) to the patriotic Border(1997).

Playback Singers as Icons

This era saw the rise of new playback singers who gained iconic status. Alka Yagnic and Kavita Krishnamurthy became the voices of romantic heroines and Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu dominated the male playback scenes.

Their voices are the unforgettable melodies and became inseparable from the on-screen personalities like Shah Rukh Khan, Sakman Khan, Aamir Khan.

Music Videos and Cultural Impact

The rise of television channels dedicated to music like mtv india, revolutionized the way bollywood music was consumed.

Music videos became an integral part of film promotions, with songs often driving a film’s success. Tracks like, Chaiyya Chaiyya from Dil Se and Tujhe Dekha To from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge became cultural phenomena with their visuals as memorable as the music itself.

The 2000s

The 2000s marked as the transformative period in bollywood music.This era saw the rise of music composers like Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Pritam who redefined bollywood music and hindi cinema.

Also the start of remixes and the fusions of genres happened after the 2000s also reflected India's globalized culture.

Conclusion

From the classicals to chartbusters, bollywood came a long way and reflects the dynamic evolution in hindi cinema, from the melodious beats in the 1950s to rich and heavy soundtracks in the 21st century. Bollywood adapted the change of preferences of the audiences and remains favorite of millions even after so many decades. From the legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar to most favorites Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, Bollywood fits in every era and remains a powerful cultural force.