I don't think it is fair to say that all the memorable songs were only composed prior the 2000s. Modern Music has witnessed its fair share of quality as well.

My argument lies against the masses - our (not mine, but the public in general) appreciation for quality music has taken a steep fall. I mena, look at some of Rahman's classics like Meenaxi and Bose....these were true classics...much much better than even some of the best stuff that has come out during hte Burman, L-P, and Nayyar days. But they are not remembered today...and only a handful of music lovers will even be able to hum you a tune from either of these albums. Why? Because the awareness is not there.

Unlike yesteryear - escapist and mainstream CINEMA has really over-shadowed music. People only listen to music because it is forced in the middle of a film. Hardly do people now a days actually listen to filmi music prior to a film's release...or play them on their CD players or iPODs. And the ones that they do play on their own are those way over-played tracks on the promos which are shoved into our ears...no quality (HR anyone?).

Thanks to the popularity of Radio Stations, otherwise filmi music would have no identity apart from the fact that it is packaged under a certain banner next to a certain film.

But don't get me wrong, there definatley is a lot more crap coming out of the industry than there used to be. So the blame cannot be put squarely on the shoulders of the listening public

Aakash

There was plenty of junk in the 80s and 90s too, wasn't there? It's hard to believe that there weren't also unmemorable soundtracks before that as well; perhaps time has provided the filter so that these are justly forgotten. Yesteryear composers often wrote hundreds of soundtracks, 20 or more in a year - how could these all possibly be wonderful classics? It's also generally true that the best music is not always the most popular music - I am sure this is true in any era, and in any popular culture.

I am a fan of old music and as hard on modern composers as anyone - you might remember that I savaged Mithoon's The Train after you so positively reviewed it, Aakash; and I've often said that Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's biggest talent is taking a good idea for a song and ruining it in production. Having said that, though, I do think there are some great post-2000 soundtracks that will be remembered in the future. Devdas (though I hate the movie) is a gorgeous soundtrack by Ismail Darbar, and Vishal Bharadwaj's Omkara is wonderful too. A.R. Rahman's Lagaan definitely has staying power. I am sure there are others.

Part of the problem in identifying the new classics is that without knowing what popular culture will look like in two or three or more decades, it's hard to know what people will be nostalgic for, and what will appear through the lens of time to be emblematic of the various aspects of this decade.

I completely agree with you Carla. I mean - what really makes a classic? Is it the quality of music - which is always subjective to the listener. Or is it plainly based on popularity.

I talked to a few youngsters in India who feel Pritam's DHOOM (2004) was a classic. Many, myself included, will strongly disagree with this opinion.

Every decade will have its classics - and that will never change. It is unfair to say one generation enjoyed a higher quality of music than a previous generation.

What makes the sounds of tabla and sitar better than modern instruments like synths and electric guitar? It's just that the yesteryear generation feel they had the best film music because it truly displayed Indian Music; whereas today you wont find a single composer who uses stricly Indian instrumentation (let's disregard Kkayam and Naushaad's recent soundtracks, since they belong to the previous generation). Even greats like Rahman, Vishal Bharadwaj, and to an extent Ismail Darbar - infuse Indian music with Western - creating a splended homogenized effect. But still - prior generations will resent it since it "mixes" the two styles of music.

This whole discussion revolves around perception and can never have a definitive answer. Quality of Music lies in the ears of the listener. But each year there always seems to be a new trend and a new twist in the tale of Hindi Film Music.

(Refernce my annual High Notes feature on PlanetBollywood.com).

You guys are quite amazing...I learn something new all the time from you!

Haha, well it's not us Geetanjali - it's the engima that is Music. I strongly do believe that music is the one true universal language that people from all walks of life and all backgrounds can come to understand and communicate with one another wtih.

Music is amazing - its effects, its themes, its messages, its complexities, its emotions, its allure.... And we can always stand to learn a thing or two from music and its uniqueness that binds each and every one of us together.

Aakash, what about SD Burman, RD Burman, Kalyanji-Anandji, who created so many classic and wonderful soundtracks using all kinds of western instrumentation?

For me (not Indian, if it makes a difference, and I recognize it might), the soundtracks of SDB and RDB especially are particularly special and wonderful because they achieve more than fusion, they transcend fusion. They are both adaptive of western styles and yet still not western, still very Indian. The first time heard RDB - the song was "Dum maro dum" - it felt like a revelation, like it was the best music in the world and how had I lived more than 30 years without ever hearing it? It was unlike anything I'd ever heard before.

Geetanjali - thanks. :-)

You're absolutely right Carla - RDB truly revolutionized Indian Music by introducing a lot western intrumentation - bringing alive the Hippy generation in india. But like you said - the music still remained very very Indian. This is a blend very few can achieve today (Rahman is the only name that comes to mind). BTW, i'm referring to Hindi Music...so not including anything regional.

thanks you.