Top Non-Film Songs of 2022

क्रम
Rank

गीत
Song

संगीतकार, गीतकार, गायक
Music Director, Lyricist, Singer(s)

अंक
Score (5)

ज्यूरी की राय
Jury's say (Expand or Collpase all)

तू झूम (कोक स्टूडियो सीज़न 14)

tuu jhoom (Coke Studio Season 14)

Tags: anthem, classical, coke studio, devotion, divine, experimental, fusion, inspiration, peaceful, philosophical, philosophy, spiritual, sufi, sufi pop

ज़ुल्फ़ी
Xulfi

(हसरत मोहानी), अदनान धूल
(Hasrat Mohani), Adnan Dhool

आबिदा परवीन, नसीबो लाल
Abida Parveen, Naseebo Lal

3.38

Toggle Jury's comments

Beautiful! -Anuradha

Okay composition by Coke Studio's high standards, elevated by the doyens that are Abida Parveen and Naseebo Lal. -Tatsam

Wholesome, heart touching and in the popular social media lingo - ICONS ONLY! -Svetlana

Superb composition, superb singing, superb lyrics. -Pankaj

The contrast in voices, the harmonious orchestration and the breezy way of singing, makes one really jhoom with joy. We need more songs like this. -Ketan

Singing is quite robust, but except for that burst up the octave at the very end, song feels long/repetitive/predictable. -Sanjeev

One'd have though Abida Parveen to be overkill for Coke Studio. She has much better stuff than this. Perhaps helps the junior singer. -Ashok

The arrangements somewhat diminish the magic of this zen-like anthem that has some riveting vocal work by Naseebo Lal and Abida Parveen. -Shasank

Trance inducing. -Sukanya

This hypnotic melody is one of the best compositions of this past year. These vocals by Naseebo Lal and Abida Parveen really go straight to your heart. It is incredible to see these star performers at the top of their game. The instruments and the arrangements are very well balanced and the supporting vocals too induce a trance-like state. The music video for those who are interested sets a high bar for those interested in music videos, where the production complements and enhances the song and the performances. -Sunil

Sublime. High points for the words and of course, Abida Parveen. -Meera

Powerful voices both of them, what a dynamite combo. -Arun

ओ रे जिया

o re jiyaa

Tags: bandish, classical, classical fusion, dance, experimental, fresh, funky, fusion, indie, innovative, jazz, morning tea, rap, upbeat

कार्तिक शाह, निराली शाह
Kartik Shah, Nirali Shah

माटी बानी, शंकर टकर, सीरी, कोणक्कोल सोमशेखर जोइस
Maati Baani, Shankar Tucker, SIRI, Konnakkol Somashekhar Jois

3.17

Toggle Jury's comments

Like a bunch of athletes coming together to challenge each other for an evening of playful competition, this is another super fun listen with the vocals, konakkal, clarinet, guitar, and percussions striving to beat each other out. -Shasank

Interesting and unpredictable, nicely done! -Meera

Maati Baani have been consistently producing good fusion experiments blending sounds and talents from all over the world. -Sunil

Infectious jugalbandi of uttar dakshin musical elements. -Sukanya

Bass lines over jathis/konnokol are outstanding like ARR's Thee Thee song; The clarinet brings a different dimension. But the super star here is Bass Guitar. -Pradeep

Entertaining concoction, including Kannada rap! Don't know what it is all about. -Ashok

Maati Baani is one of most creative bands recently. -Arun

Such a fun song. -Zico

Pop classical with a nice dose of picollo flute. -Ketan

Absolutely cutting-edge fusion. -Tatsam

Some strange aspirated consonants in the "konnakkol" ("thhhaaam"); some great individual pieces, but overall feels more like a gymnastics exercise. -Sanjeev

होमकमिंग (होमकमिंग)

Homecoming (Homecoming)

Tags: ballad, chorus, classical, coke-studio-ish, comfort, compassionate, dreams, experimental, indian classical, geet, longing, melancholic, motivation, semi-classical, sunny morning, warm

अनिरुद्ध वर्मा, प्रतीक नरसिम्हा
Anirudh Varma, Prateek Narsimha

प्रतीक नरसिम्हा
Prateek Narsimha

आस्था माँडले, काव्या सिंह, प्रतीक नरसिम्हा, संतूर कुंडू, सप्तक चटर्जी
Aastha Mandle, Kavya Singh, Prateek Narsimha, Santur Kundu, Saptak Chatterjee

2.94

Toggle Jury's comments

The chorus is wonderful. -Pankaj

What a lovely collective to listen to -- combining ragas, ghatams and contemporary. -Tatsam

Would have loved to see this beautiful fusion of mellow vocals, haunting melody, and minimalist arrangements stretch out in different melodic directions but it sticks to one direction, which is fine nonetheless. -Shasank

Nice opening and lovely piano work. Somewhat of a repeat value. -Ketan

Touches all the right chords, literally and figuratively. -Meera

Are those murkis I hear? Indian-based melody? Vocals are nice, and nice instrumental (esp. flute/tabla work), but the song on the whole feels a little aimless... -Sanjeev

Nice composition. -Arun

What I like most about this song is how 'clean' the singing is. -Zico

Good singing but an average melody. -Pradeep

Has integrity and the feel of amateurs pulling off a good project. -Ashok

This is a beautiful layered composition.with a well-crafted arrangement. It made me want to reach out and listen to more of this album. Lovely jugalbandi of a piano and the sitar in the first interlude. Piano and flute in the second interlude. The vocal ensemble works well together. For those who are keen, it also has a very pleasing music video produced for the song, where you can see all the artists in action. -Sunil

मेहरम (कोक स्टूडियो सीज़न 14)

meharam (Coke Studio Season 14)

Tags: anthem, atmospheric, ballad, coke studio, dreamy, emotional, haunting, heartbreak, love, melancholic, melancholy, minimalistic, moody, romance

असफ़र हुसैन, ज़ुल्फ़ी
Asfar Hussain, Xulfi

असफ़र हुसैन, अरूज आफ़ताब
Asfar Hussain, Arooj Aftab

2.93

Toggle Jury's comments

Male vocals are soft, light touch, yet confident and assured. Female vocals have an unusual but attractive texture. Like the "overlapping" effect in the verse, with the male vocals going high, female low. -Sanjeev

Falsetto singing? Really? -Ketan

This is a song to listen to with alone with a drink ! -Pradeep

The pain is palpable, loved the words. -Meera

Arooz Aftab is superb. Lovely singing. -Pankaj

The better "meharam". -Ashok

Excellent composition, vocal textures and stellar production work. Totally evokes the feeling of heartbreak bringing around a death-like gloom. -Tatsam

I originally did not give this track a second glance, when Coke Studio originally released their 14th season, and boy was I mistaken. This atmospheric piece is a strange, heady, trippy ride into the clouds aloft the yearning and helplessness distilled by the haunting melody. Asfar Hussain and Arooj Aftab are excellent, registering a solemn depth with their low octave vocals. Xulfi's production builds a beautiful mood to set everything in, that builds into a dynamic outro that will linger on long after the track ends. -Shasank

Arooj Aftab, uff! -Sukanya

एक था कौवा (हसल 2.0)

ek thaa kauwaa (Hustle 2.0)

Tags: angsty, anthem, hard, hip hop, hiphop, inspiration, khayal, moody, motivation, political, provocative, rap, rousing, sad

एमटीवी हसल टीम
MTV Hustle Team

सृष्टि तावड़े
Srushti Tawade

2.90

Toggle Jury's comments

Much to crow about. -Sukanya

Interesting lyrics/concept in a "rap" style...points for cool factor but no Song of the Year. -Sanjeev

Great homegrown authentic hip-hop. -Tatsam

Pari/Crow metaphor is very nicely used in lyrics. -Pradeep

So powerful, so evocative! -Svetlana

Shrusthi Tawade's banger is a reckoning of sorts. The words are simple yet their inner meaning and delivery stir an inner provocation in you. This wasn't just a track, it was a moment to behold in the annals of Indian music. -Shasank

Need I say more? -Zico

(W)rap it up. Doesn't work. -Ketan

Rap as a mode of story-telling to a child! Interesting specimen. -Ashok

I LOVED THIS! 4 points for the kauvva story that will make me look at all kauvvas differently now! That said, no I didn’t miss the point :). -Meera

What a fantastic song! The lyrics are meaningful. Srushti Tawde is another find of the year. -Pankaj

पिहरवा

piharavaa

Tags: atmospheric, classical, dreamy, emotional, fusion, hindustani, hope, instrumental, life, loungey, love, semi classical, surreal

सचिन-जिगर
Sachin-Jigar

सिद्धांत कौशल
Siddhant Kaushal

अनुमिता नदेसन, सचिन संघवी
Anumita Nadesan, Sachin Sanghvi

2.87

Toggle Jury's comments

Soothing momentum. -Sukanya

Beautifully and thoughtful lyrics; calling lover ‘piharavaa’. -Pankaj

super catchy! Loved the sitar bits too. -Meera

Sitar pieces and bass grooves lift the song - but it's still too long, didn't need the section with the male vocals. Like Anumita's vocals here better than other songs, but still don't love them. Sargams are kinda random sounding. "Baaje honton men kaharwaa"? -Sanjeev

Composition accommodates female singer's weak voice well. -Ashok

Great music, and not surprising since Sachin-Jigar have lifted the basic melody pattern from Niladri Kumar's songs 'Ahista' and 'Tum" from Laila Majnu. The melody needs a better singer than Anumita. -Ketan

This is a template melody but the arrangements (Sitar) and singing takes it to the next level. -Pradeep

A carefully crafted track that takes a beautiful tempo and sticks to it, all the while layering effective arrangements that slowly build to a beautiful crescendo. The vocals are so dreamy and everything else has a delicate touch to it, including the deliberate lyrics. -Shasank

गगन धुआँ धुआँ

gagan dhuaa.N dhuaa.N

Tags: atmospheric, calm, cloudy evening, dream, dreamy, evening songs, loneliness, melancholic, moody, nostalgia, peaceful, rain, sad, wistful

बी प्रसन्ना
B Prasanna

प्रतीका दीक्षित
Preetika Dixit

बॉम्बे जयश्री
Bombay Jayashri

2.86

Toggle Jury's comments

Gorgeous. Have not heard Bombay Jayashri in the high registers to this extent - she does not disappoint! -Sanjeev

The arrangements and the harmonies are outstanding although at first listen I didn’t feel the same way. -Pradeep

Excellent, complex arrangement with Bombay's ethereal, haunting vocals. -Tatsam

This song is a gem. -Anuradha

The sublime voice of Bombay Jayashri is used so creatively in this free-flowing track that drifts and floats in a myriad wonderful directions, aided by very subtle arrangements. -Shasank

Bombay Jayashri at her ethereal best. -Sukanya

Wait is that Bombay Jayashree of "zara zara" - what a silky voice! -Arun

Frankly I could not make out this song, hence giving it points for effort. -Ketan

Lovely arrangement in an unusual melody. It is always a delight to listen to Bombay Jayashri ever since she sang a lovely song in the movie "Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein" or "RTHDM". -Sunil

Entire song as a declamation/narrative? Done well here, but gets to be tiresome; too long to hold the focus. -Ashok

Just the mood of the song transported me to another world. Not sure if the voice could have been used better but this worked for me! -Meera

हमसे तो वो बेहतर हैं (मुख़बिर)

hamase to wo behatar hai.n (Mukhbir)

Tags: ghazal, love, moody, retrospective, romance, romantic, traditional

अभिषेक नालिवाल
Abhishek Naliwal

वैभव मोदी
Vaibhav Modi

रोंकिनी गुप्ता
Ronkini Gupta

2.80

Toggle Jury's comments

Ronkini's intoxicating vocals are everything. -Sukanya

Lovely Ghazal that reminds one of Mehdi Hassan's ranjish hi sahi. -Pradeep

The antaras borrow inspiration from the antaras of "Ranjish hi sahi". Overall Interesting voice. It's so different from the voice in the other songs that I like this song just for that. -Ketan

Fine; a bit too long. -Ashok

Wow! Awesome singing. Non-film song of the year for me. -Arun

Beautiful music, well-sung...lyrics a mixed bag. -Sanjeev

Ronkini is never trying to be anyone else but herself, I really like that about her voice, style of singing etc. -Meera

A lot of nuanced charm and technicality lies within this relatively conventional sounding ghazal, all beautifully uplifted by Ronkini Gupta's stellar vocals. -Shasank

झोंका (गुल्लक सीज़न 3)

jho.nkaa (Gullak Season 3)

Tags: dream, emotional, introspective, melancholic, mellow, memories, nostalgia, reflective, sad, somber, soothing, summer

अनुराग सैकिया
Anurag Saikia

दुर्गेश सिंह
Durgesh Singh

पापोन
Papon

2.74

Toggle Jury's comments

This one is lovely and melodious but also feels like nothing new.. as if it's been heard in a different voice/words/music earlier. -Svetlana

The easy pace, nice tune, flute and other instruments are a real treat to the ears. -Ketan

Papons breezy rendition to a melody that evokes nostalgia and wants us to revisit again. -Pradeep

All aspects work well together. -Ashok

Rich in sentiment and soul. -Sukanya

Papon as reliable as ever. -Tatsam

I really miss Papon and his singing, beautiful emotive voice. -Arun

आइ लव टू ट्रैवल

I love to travel

Tags: acoustic, drifting, explore, folksy, hopeful, jingle, light-hearted, motivational, nature, stories, storyteller, travel, travel songs, travelogue, upbeat, urban folk

शुभोदीप रॉय
Shubhodeep Roy

राहगीर
Rahgir

2.72

Toggle Jury's comments

A tad repetitive but energy is infectious! Voice vaguely reminiscent of Udit Narayan. They didn't seem to go nuts with pitch correction, but that's good - sounds organic! -Sanjeev

I fell in love this song right from the first listen! It made me want to listen to it again and again. It is a great blend of folk and modern sounds (morchung, guitar and the gubgubi too). Great poetry with wonderful imagery. It touches with its earnestness and simplicity. -Sunil

There's a genuine earthiness in the song. -Zico

Slightly monotonous but the lyrics and story in them kept it going for me. -Meera

Interesting approach to pull off lots of words. Fun for a couple of times; can't see myself going back for repeats. -Ashok

Fun, endearing, dreamy, aspirational. -Svetlana

Beautiful singing by Rahgir. -Pankaj

I like the simple orchestration which is so rare these days. -Ketan

The most fun track here, a simple story told with joy and whimsy, aided by the frolic strings and percussions. -Shasank

Attention grabbing energy. -Sukanya

याद

yaad

Tags: ballad, classical, dreamy, ghazal, love, melancholic, melancholy, memories, retro, romance, semi classical, sentimental, tabla

मुकुंद सूर्यवंशी
Mukund Suryawanshi

सावेरी वर्मा
Saaveri Verma

सोनू निगम
Sonu Nigam

2.67

Toggle Jury's comments

Sonu Nigam, take a bow! -Sukanya

Sonu Nigam delivers. The sarangi compliments the melancholic/nostalgia mood. -Pradeep

I wouldn't mind dialing back the complexity of tune and overt display of emotion ~5-10%, but still enjoyed it. -Sanjeev

Weak, weak, weak. -Ashok

Sonu is singing as if he was a newbie, with that heavy breathing, that laborious drawl, that unnecessary nakhra in his voice. -Ketan

Vintage, fearless Sonu Nigam doing his own thing! -Tatsam

Sonu does impress here. -Arun

The singing murdered the melody. -Anuradha

ये दुनिया (कोक स्टूडियो सीज़न 14)

ye duniyaa (Coke Studio Season 14)

Tags: anthem, fusion, hiphop, hopelessness, indi gangsta thrash, motivation, rap, rock, rousing

शेरी खट्टक, ज़ुल्फ़ी
Sherry Khattak, Xulfi

अदनान धूल, तल्हा अंजुम, फ़ारिस शफ़ी, ज़ुल्फ़ी
Adnan Dhool, Talha Anjum, Faris Shafi, Xulfi

काराकोरम, फ़रिस शफ़ी, तल्हा अंजुम
Karakoram, Faris Shafi, Talha Anjum

2.63

Toggle Jury's comments

The music and the lyrics both pack a punch. All 3 performers are good at their art and they really blend well. Another great song prodution from Coke Studio. -Sunil

Mostly rap and attempted "soar". Couple of interesting parts, but not worth 5+ minute slog. -Ashok

Great, great song. All portions by all 3 artists. But Faris Shafi is a truly gifted soul. No one writes verses with his kind of rhyming schemes. -Tatsam

What an ultimate high this song is! An absolute head-banger with a crazy fusion of styles - a subtler Karakoram, a furious Talha Anjum, and a swaggy Faris Shafi all delivering note after note of pure adrenaline. And it is far from superficial, bubbling with deep meaning with every line. A couple of lines from Talha Anjum in this track will probably adorn my bedroom walls as a poster for eternity. And this song will always remain very close to my heart. -Shasank

Wonderful mix of drama and dynamism. -Sukanya

Singing and pronunciation are irritatingly affected. The rap may be clever, but how many times am I really going to want to listen to it as a song? -Sanjeev

So this is what it sounds like when you are made to sing at gunpoint. First cry then just rattle out words without any coherence. -Ketan

The depth and simplicity here! -Svetlana

मेहरम (डॉ अरोड़ा)

meharam (Dr. Arora)

Tags: atmospheric, emotional, love, melancholy, melody, redemption, romance, sad, soul, soulful, sublime

नीलाद्री कुमार
Niladri Kumar

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.63

Toggle Jury's comments

Arijit Singh is great. Love the music. -Pankaj

Reasonably good. This coming from a non-fan. -Ashok

Laila Majnu feels. -Zico

It's a nice tune to hum, which is how It should have been kept. Ends in a good zitar. -Ketan

Niladri Kumar brings his fine sensibilities to this melancholic beauty. Its a simple melody that is perfectly placed by Arijit Singh's calculated rendition. The atmospheric arrangements layer on each other subtly, leaving enough spaces for a beautiful silence within the song that uplifts everything, above all, the emotion the song is attempting to deliver. One of my best songs of the year, it also features Irshad Kamil's writing that is both simple and complex with effective juxtapositions. -Shasank

Simple, sincere and direct composition by Niladri Kumar. -Tatsam

Better from Arijit here, sounds less "manufactured" - appreciate the sparser background to just hear the vocals. "Kadam", not "Qadam"? -Sanjeev

Love the words - mera hua, mehram, tera gham... Ufff! Some nice, clean singing by Arijit too. -Meera

Arijit Singh sings his heart out as always, the zitar interludes of Niladri Kumar compliment the mood. -Pradeep

Whisper of a composition. -Sukanya

अब मोरी छाड़ दे (भूमि 2022)

ab morii chhaa.D de (Bhoomi 2022)

Tags: bandish, classical, classical fusion, contemporary, experimental, folk, funky, fusion, lounge, hindustani classical, playful, semi classical

सलीम-सुलेमान
Salim-Sulaiman

(पारंपरिक)
(Traditional)

मुहीत भारती, प्रतिभा सिंह बघेल
Muheet Bharti, Pratibha Singh Baghel

2.62

Toggle Jury's comments

Pratibha is awesome but composition is a little wacky overall. -Arun

Mar jaavaaN hangover much? But NFM also needs to get innovative and move beyond this safe, tried and tested space. -Meera

Pratibha Singh Bagel was good. That's about it. -Anuradha

It feels like two songs. Pratibha Singh Baghel’s is more memorable. -Pankaj

Needs more focus. As is, it's everything and kitchen sink. Singers need to improve their craft. -Ashok

Something very indipoppish about it. -Zico

Re-cast (or variation) of the Bhairavi bandish "Kaisi Ye Bhalai"...nice low register from PSB...musical backdrop feels very random, don't like the interposition of the "rap". That said, male vocals are very fluid...overall song feels like patchwork. -Sanjeev

Riveting. -Sukanya

Bhairavi raag layered with complex arrangements and rap is innovation at its best. However the arrangements of Salim-Sulaiman are getting repetitive. -Pradeep

Pratibha is about the only redeeming feature of this…..???? -Ketan

Absolutely cutting-edge fusion. -Tatsam

Such a fun track to listen to - the arrangements and vocals all have pieces that seem to challenge each other, upping their game with every passing minute. Muheet Bharti and Pratibha Singh Baghel are outstanding with their vocals. -Shasank

Pratibha executes her part well in this song. -Sunil

क़रार (सुकून)

qaraar (Sukoon)

Tags: classical, ghazal, love, melancholic, nostalgia, semi classical, traditional, yearning

संजय लीला भंसाली
Sanjay Leela Bhansali

(मोमिन ख़ान मोमिन)
(Momin Khan Momin)

श्रेया घोषाल
Shreya Ghoshal

2.59

Toggle Jury's comments

Worth multiple hearings even though Shreya is trying her best to sound like Chitra Singh. Why bother? All Bongs sound alike--except Kishore. -Ketan

Shreya and the arrangements will make us come back and listen to this song. -Pradeep

Shreya does a decent retelling of a classic ghazal. -Arun

Elegant, well-done gazal devoid of unnecessary complications but not overly predictable either. Will gladly take it!! -Sanjeev

A delicate piece of writing by Momin that has been sung by greats like Begum Akhtar. The music here doesn't do justice to the words, legacy, and even Shreya Ghoshal herself. Sad. -Svetlana

I love her but Shreya's singing style has rendered a ghazal so devoid of character. -Zico

What to expect when one wades into the territory conquered the likes of Abida Parween and Begum Akhtar? Acceptable result here, but poorer in comparison. -Ashok

Bhansali emerges as master of many trades as well. -Sukanya

A relatively typical ghazal - a nuanced melody delivered in stunning fashion by Shreya Ghoshal. -Shasank

Shreya Ghoshal reminding everyone why she's a G.O.A.T. -Tatsam

नटखट नदिया (सौंग्स ऑफ़ द रिवर - गंगा)

naTakhaT nadiyaa (Songs Of The River - Ganga)

Tags: beats, folk, folk-ish, folksy, fresh, indian classical, hopeful, innovative, lyrical, peace, peppy, upbeat

शांतनु मोइत्रा
Shantanu Moitra

तनवीर गाज़ी
Tanveer Ghazi

ताबा चाके, माटी बानी
Taba Chake, Maati Baani

2.58

Toggle Jury's comments

Lovely. Refreshing. Everything is just right. The video is worth a look. -Ashok

Energetic and twangy female vocals - ambivalent on the male vocals. -Sanjeev

The melodies are varied; there is a lovely vichitra veena piece and a flute counterpoint. In terms of pure music, this is one of the best. -Anuradha

Lovely vocals, well-written words and beautiful melody come together to create a very satisifying song. -Sunil

The vocal harmonies at the start and the up-beat structure gives a folkish tinge to this song. -Pradeep

Eminently listenable with some interesting word play. -Arun

As always the good tunes are done in by poor singing. -Ketan

Nirali Shah has such a fresh voice. -Pankaj

लोन पोअट - ए री आली (शेड्स ऑफ़ कैशमीर)

Lone Poet - e rii aalii (Shades of Cashmere)

Tags: bandish fusion, classical, folksy, fusion, lounge, monsoon, romantic, songs about rain, thumri, traditional

शाश्वत सचदेव
Shashwat Sachdev

(पारंपरिक)
(Traditional)

शाश्वत सचदेव, नकुल चुघ, श्रेया जैन, लियाक़त अली ख़ान
Shashwat Sachdev, Nakul Chugh, Shreya Jain, Liyaqat Ali Khan

2.57

Toggle Jury's comments

Great fusion version of an all-time favorite thumri. -Arun

Creates a lovely ambient sound. Would sound great in a large space. The vocals get drowned at times by the instrumentation. -Sunil

The arrangement is a perfect fusion of Indian and Western classical elements; usage of kanjira type sound also blends north and south of india. -Pradeep

OK - start by mangling a favorite bandish...not doing any favors for my impression. Mangling a second in quick succession just makes me furious. No points just throwing two pieces of classical spaghetti on the wall and hoping something sticks. -Sanjeev

Talent, yes. Charisma, loads. -Sukanya

New twist to an old bandish. It works somehow. -Ketan

Arbit spicing of classical sounds. -Ashok

ख़ालीपन (डॉ अरोड़ा)

Khaaliipan (Dr. Arora)

Tags: atmospheric, emotional, hope, introspective, lonely evening, lonesome, love, mellow, moody, romance, soft, somber, yearning

नीलाद्री कुमार
Niladri Kumar

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अभय जोधपुरकर, मीनल जैन
Abhay Jodhpurkar, Meenal Jain

2.57

Toggle Jury's comments

The zitar type interlude is the highlight of the song. -Pradeep

Good to hear Abhay Jodhpurkar mature. One thinks of his breakout song from Zero, and while that was brilliant, this is a nicely low key. -Zico

OK, but bland. -Ashok

Nothing innovative but a nice melody with some clean singing. -Meera

Both vocals are good, nice electric sitar work - male vocals sound a tad detached for the lyrics. -Sanjeev

A simple yet beautiful melody uplifted by the crisp arrangements and Abhay Jodhpurkar's mellifluous singing, this is both a nostalgic trip and a fresh take on mellow somber moody tracks. -Shasank

Serviceable. -Sukanya

Lovely prelude. Great zitar by Niladri kumar enhances the tune. Female voice a bit tinny. -Ketan

ग़ालिब होना है (सुकून)

Ghaalib honaa hai (Sukoon)

Tags: classical, ghazal, ghazal-ish, love, moody, romance, romantic, soft

संजय लीला भंसाली
Sanjay Leela Bhansali

ए एम तूराज़
A M Turaz

अरमान मलिक
Armaan Malik

2.54

Toggle Jury's comments

Voice sweet but a little nasal (ishq teriiii~~~.NNNNN) vocals feel too sculpted/linearized by pitch correction tools...nice instrumentation. Lyrics - ehhhh, well... -Sanjeev

As if SLB did not have enough things on his plate, he goes ahead and makes an independent ghazal album! This is a docile number, handled so delicately by Armaan Malik. Par for the course arrangements aside, the melody here is pure bliss. -Shasank

Armaan malik has done better than I’d expected but his voice still sounds processed. -Zico

Liked the use of rabab in the interludes. Loved the music and the tarana at the end of the song. -Sunil

The words are nice, the music simple, the singing could have been a lot better. -Ketan

Armaan and Bhansali make magic together. -Sukanya

Wannabe singing by Armaan Malik. -Arun

Armaan Malik’s singing is nicely done. -Pankaj

Ok, but could be better with a stronger melody. -Ashok

Very average singing with no heart. -Meera

This song grows onto you although the singing doesn’t exploit the opportunities in the melody, which is based on raag malhar. -Pradeep

नींद

nee.nd

Tags: calm, classical, ghazal-esque, ghazal, ghazal pop, moody, peace, quiet, sad, sombre, tearful, traditional

राकेश त्रिपाठी
Rakesh Tripathi

प्रतिभा सिंह बघेल
Pratibha Singh Baghel

2.44

Toggle Jury's comments

The western arrangement over a classical melody aids Pratibha who delivers the right emotions for this song. -Pradeep

Pratibha continues to impress. -Arun

Reminiscent of the 90's non-filmy music, not in a good way. -Meera

Beautiful tune, piano and violins, though I think there is no originality in the voice. Another Chitra Singh wannabe. -Ketan

Old wine in new bottle. -Sukanya

Reminded me of the heyday of Jagjit Singh. -Sunil

Sensitively composed and sung. -Ashok

"Aati Hai" sorta rhymes with "Aadhi Hai"... Dependable vocals from PSB. -Sanjeev

मैं जी रहा

mai.n jee rahaa

Tags: devotion, filmy, fusion, love, romance, romantic, sufi, upbeat

अना रहमान
Ana Rehman

श्लोक लाल
Sholke Lal

शिल्पा राव, जाज़िम शर्मा
Shilpa Rao, Jazim Sharma

2.44

Toggle Jury's comments

Nice tune. The dholak make is sound like an L-P song, And in this day and age, that's a compliment. -Ketan

Genuinely enjoy Jazim S. and Shilpa R. - they lift what's otherwise a fairly ordinary song. Interlude sitar is nice, but maybe a little intricate for the rest of the song. -Sanjeev

Can't find the focus of the song. -Ashok

Evokes a clear sense of dejavu. -Sukanya

Perfect blend of sufi, ghazal and filmy sounds and singing, felt like a Vishal-Shekhar/Pritam melody! -Pradeep

A conventional sounding yet powerful melody that brings together the unique voices of Jazim Sharma and Shilpa Rao in a very calculated arrangement. Everything is metered perfectly to deliver a very memorable track, aided by traditional yet effective instruments. One of my favorite tracks this year. -Shasank

A wonderful composition. Shilpa Rao and Jazim Sharma are great. The sitar and the guitar fusion is lovely. -Pankaj

रंगरेज़वा

ra.ngarezawaa

Tags: beats, dance, disco, dreamy, fusion, peppy, pop, retro, sufi, upbeat

मेघदीप बोस
Meghdeep Bose

मनोज यादव
Manoj Yadav

सोनू निगम
Sonu Nigam

2.41

Toggle Jury's comments

Might be the best Sonu Nigam song in years. -Zico

Interesting fast-pace. Sonu Nigam goes for a husky tone; open singing might have been better. -Ashok

Sonu days are here again. -Sukanya

He hasn't lost his touch...tune not overly intricate, that's a good thing. -Sanjeev

The retro feel, although with processed music, and Sonu's heartfelt singing makes this a winner. The interlude loop is super! -Pradeep

Good to hear Sonu Nigam after long but why the reticence in this song?! Was it meant to be the mood or an unintentional mixing error? -Meera

Catchy music. I fail to understand what makes Sonu sing this way? Why not just sing in your normal voice. -Ketan

Sonu doesn't impress much. -Arun

मैं चला (सौंग्स ऑफ़ द रिवर - गंगा)

mai.n chalaa (Songs Of The River - Ganga)

Tags: country music, mellow, moody, motorbike, mountain, mountain-feels, pop, refreshing, relaxing, soothing, travel, urban folk, valley

शांतनु मोइत्रा
Shantanu Moitra

तनवीर गाज़ी
Tanveer Ghazi

मोहित चौहान
Mohit Chauhan

2.37

Toggle Jury's comments

Mohit Chauhan can make middling sound mind blowing. -Sukanya

And that is how you put heart into an average tune, dear new-on-the-block singer folx. Mohit Chauhan for the win! -Meera

Heard the mouth organ after a long time- refreshing sound. -Sunil

Mohit Chauhan is, as always, wonderful. The composition is beautifully done. -Pankaj

Nice tune, Mohit is slightly better than Arijit, which isn't saying much. -Ketan

It’s a nice breezy song and in the usual Mohit Chauhan zone. -Pradeep

Moderately good, which is saying quite a bit. -Ashok

One more brand of "brash casual, therefore endearing and engaging"...tune meanders...to his credit, guitar background is nice and the falsetto is easy and soothing to listen to. -Sanjeev

फिर मिलेंगे (कोक स्टूडियो सीज़न 14)

phir mile.nge (Coke Studio Season 14)

Tags: angsty, anthem, background, emotional, experimental, fusion, hip-hop, hiphop, melancholic, motivation, rap, rock, schizophrenic, sentimental, trippy

अदनान धूल, तल्हा अंजुम, तल्हा यूनुस, ज़ुल्फ़ी
Adnan Dhool, Talha Anjum, Talha Yunus, Xulfi

ज़ुल्फ़ी
Xulfi

फ़ैसल कपाड़िया, यंग स्टनर्स
Faisal Kapadia, Young Stunners

2.32

Toggle Jury's comments

Great atmospherics, superb production as usual! -Tatsam

I like the "rapping" in triple meter way better than the flat "lafangebaaz" singing. Background for drug-induced stupor at a club? -Sanjeev

Eclectic mix of spirit and sounds. -Sukanya

Who would have thought a combination like this - Young Stunners and Faisal Kapadia - would work so well! Xulfi's production does very interesting things to set up both of them for some beautiful moments of euphoria, in this rhapsodic track that has words of pearly wisdom from the young rappers, complemented by Kapadia's simple words of farewell. There's a hint of weakness in Kapadia's voice but it can easily be overlooked by the rest of the wonder here. -Shasank

Forgettable, this is lazy music, if you can call it that. -Ketan

Rap songs, with their wordiness, ought to be shorter. -Ashok

Listening to Faisal Kapadia gave me the feels. -Zico

एक पल

ek pal

Tags: anthem, dream, dreamy, evening sunset, love, memories, pop/rock, relationships, romance, sad, time, travel, upbeat

आकांक्षा सेठी
Akanksha Sethi

2.32

Toggle Jury's comments

Winsome melody. -Sukanya

A beautiful song with lovely singing. -Pankaj

Beautiful guitar layers and a tried and trusted soft-rock arrangements serenade this organic, sublime melody with capable singing by Akanksha Sethi. -Shasank

Like the voice - but nothing especially Indian about the composition. -Sanjeev

This was a smooth and melodious song. -Sunil

The arrangement and singing is so much like Pakistani Band Strings. -Pradeep

The progression of the notes had some unpredictability and that made it an interesting listen. -Meera

Honest-meditative, I suppose, but too long; the end crescendo is poor. -Ashok

Lovely music, lilting voice, understated orchestration. We need more songs and singers like this. -Ketan

गाए जा

gaaye jaa

Tags: anthem, atmospheric, casual, chatty, flying, future, glib, hopeful, innovative, inspiration, lazy, moody, move on, synthpop, time, upbeat

सनी एम आर
Sunny M R

श्लोक लाल
Sholke Lal

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.32

Toggle Jury's comments

Love the beats, and the contemporary lyrics. -Pankaj

Arijit's free-flowing alaap at the end of the song gets drowned by the sounds of the other instruments. -Sunil

A dreamy outro bookends this hazy, atmospheric track that is equal parts experimental and lazy jam, one that sums up to be quite fun to listen to. -Shasank

The last 1 minute or so is exemplary singing by Arijit Singh although it's partly processed. -Pradeep

Arijit Singh doing best what Arijit Singh does best. -Sukanya

Innovative, fun; the form of the song — the peculiar rhythm pattern — is consistent with the theme, which is daydreamy and yet at the same time talks about the rhythm of everyday life. Sunny MR - who I believe has been working with Arijit for some years now - has promise. -Zico

The lovely opening music and some nice interludes give way to some vocal noise which makes you say, please don't (gaaye jaa). -Ketan

Can't escape from Arijit Singh even in the non-film realm; here, he's an MD also! More than six minutes of pointlessness. -Ashok

Interesting percussion but what is Arijit doing here now, besides making all his songs sound like the same humdrum? Though minor points for the ending. -Meera

Fun song...Arijit does it justice. -Sanjeev

राहें

raahe.n

Tags: classical fusion, contemporary, experimental, fusion, groovy, love, memories, nostalgia, pop, upbeat

अनिंदो बोस
Anindo Bose

पवित्र चारी
Pavithra Chari

शेडो एँड लाइट
Shadow and Light

2.29

Toggle Jury's comments

Better than their "duaa". -Ashok

The composition is delightful. -Pankaj

Fresh, fine, fantastic, repeat mode. -Sukanya

The bass notes in between lines were quite nice; the carnatic type vocal delivery makes this a fusion number.. the hook line is an alaap which you will recall! -Pradeep

The song would have been so much better without that irritating rhythm track. -Ketan

Bhairavi flies under the radar - well-sung, peppy, and engaging. -Sanjeev

Sounds a bit like Ritviz. -Zico

ख़्वाब

Khwaab

Tags: acoustic, atmospheric, calm, dream, dreams, dreamy, easy-going, freedom, indie-pop, inspirational, lazy, relaxing, travel, upbeat

अनुमिता नदेसन
Anumita Nadesan

राजन बत्रा, अनुमिता नदेसन
Rajan Batra, Anumita Nadesan

अनुमिता नदेसन
Anumita Nadesan

2.20

Toggle Jury's comments

Not sure what brings the moody vibe more here - the delayed loungey arrangements or Anumita Nadesan's vocals, but they're a great match to each other and to the overall feel of the track. -Shasank

I almost gave it a 1 but the singing really made me step it back. What is her real voice? Cause it can't be this whispery, computerized thing she is serving up. -Ketan

We would be better off with fewer Prateek Kuhad+Jasleen Royal knockoffs. -Tatsam

The way the music is arranged to arrive at the hook line is very good. Anumita delivers. -Pradeep

Khwahish, Khwaab, Khaamosh - don’t use these words if the singer can't say them for what they are. Bit of a shame how diction doesn’t seem to matter these days. -Meera

Anumita Nadesan’s voice is beautiful. Thoughtful lyrics. -Pankaj

Tender tune, endearing impact. -Sukanya

Almost all songs by the artist sound the same. "piharavaa" is better, in fact. -Ashok

Nursery-rhyme style tune and singing getting on my nerves - some brief flashes of actual singing later on. Musical arrangement/backdrop is nice enough. -Sanjeev

राह दिखा दे

raah dikhaa de

Tags: conventional, dreamy, god, motivation, pathfinders, popular, soulful, spiritual, sublime, upbeat

शुभम-अना
Shubham-Ana

श्लोक लाल
Sholke Lal

मोहित चौहान, असीस कौर
Mohit Chauhan, Asees Kaur

2.10

Toggle Jury's comments

Unimaginative music. This sounds like something from the 1980s. -Ketan

Somehow, greater than the sum of its parts - combines pop-ish music with brilliant vocal work by Mohit Chauhan and Asees Kaur for a dreamy overall effect. -Shasank

Mohit magic at it again. -Sukanya

Well-phased. -Ashok

The combination of Mohit Chauhan and Asees Kaur is fantastic. The music is soothing. -Pankaj

Asees Kaur has a lovely voice. I found the arrangement could have complemented the song better. -Sunil

शुरू से शुरू (मॉडर्न लव मुंबई)

shuruu se shuruu (Modern Love Mumbai)

Tags: easy listen, hope, hopeful, morning sunrise, motivation, peppy, pop, romantic, self love, starting again, upbeat

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

तनिष्क एस नबर
Tanishk S Nabar

शंकर महादेवन, शाशा तिरुपति, तनिष्क एस नबर
Shankar Mahadevan, Shashaa Tirupati, Tanishk S Nabar

2.06

Toggle Jury's comments

SEL magic comes back to this song. -Pradeep

I think it's a waste of two good singers on a bakwas tune. -Ketan

Vocals are energetic and engaging. -Sanjeev

Missing the trademark S-E-L zing. -Sukanya

Pretty OK. -Meera

Typical SEL composition. -Arun

Not much there beyond the title line. -Ashok

रहगुज़र

rahaguzar

Tags: breeze, dreamy, journey, lyrical, passion, self-love, travel, upbeat

आदर्श राव
Adarsh Rao

2.06

Toggle Jury's comments

Music is pretty good, but again that flat, bored singing brings the song down. -Sanjeev

The santoor here reminds me of Piku and their travel. The vocals with the guitar strumming gives a pleasant feel. -Pradeep

Melody is king, Adarsh Rao reiterates. -Sukanya

There's absolutely no expression in his voice. -Anuradha

This song has a lovely arrangement- both the sarod and the flute really elevate the melody. -Sunil

As much as it is catchy, unfortunately I can't tell the voice or song from many others released this year. -Meera

Well not techno so that's a plus. Adarsh sounds like every other male singer. The sarod makes a welcome appearance. -Ketan

रुक जा (भूमि 2022)

ruk jaa (Bhoomi 2022)

Tags: arabic, atmosperic, calm, classical, collage, dark, fusion, longing, love, moody, pop, retro, romance, soothing, thoughtful

सलीम-सुलेमान
Salim-Sulaiman

श्रद्धा पंडित
Shradha Pandit

सोनू निगम
Sonu Nigam

2.00

Toggle Jury's comments

Very clean arrangement, soothing and melodious. A throwback to the 90s Indipop. -Arun

The lyrics are banal, and Sonu is sleepwalking through this song. -Anuradha

Sonu is effortless as always. The sarangi was a nice touch. -Sunil

Vintage Sonu. -Sukanya

Tune of mukhda feels like a 50s throwback. Sonu Nigam's phirat is on display, though maybe a bit much packed in...not sure the whole song hangs together but it's more than a pleasant listen for the vocals at least. -Sanjeev

Sonu disappoints here partly because he is singing on a scale that is too low. Salim-Sulaiman have now become predictable! -Pradeep

Unimaginative tune. I know Mumbai is dusty but hey Sonu why the wheezing. -Ketan

Suitable for singer toward the beginning of his career, not for where Sonu Nigam is. -Ashok

हीर मेरी

heer merii

Tags: contemporary sufi, filmi, folk rnb, happy, heer-raanjha, love, pop/rock, popular, reciprocative, romance, romantic, upbeat

शहज़ान मुजीब
Shahzan Mujeeb

मैंडी गिल, शहज़ान मुजीब
Mandy Gill, Shahzan Mujeeb

ऐश किंग, शालमली खोलगड़े, शहज़ान मुजीब
Ash King, Shalmali Kholgade, Shahzan Mujeeb

1.99

Toggle Jury's comments

Groovy, catchy, relatively mainstream number where Ash King and Shalmali Kholgade get to really shine! -Shasank

This is like a filmi song that Ash has sung for Bodyguard. -Pradeep

Shalmali Kholgade is a talented underrated singer- she makes good use of dynamics ; Beautiful use of backing vocals in this song,. -Sunil

Formulaic. -Ashok

For the female voice. -Anuradha

Exhilirating duet and drama. -Sukanya

Male vocals very fluid, a quasi-Shahid Mallya? Nice same-octave duet, music is pleasant but engaging...song overall has a "been-there-done-that" feel but in a good way. Different is not necessarily good. -Sanjeev

Nothing particularly novel but nothing painful there either. -Meera

Starts off well with a dreamy female voice before descending into just another regular song when the male (singer?) comes in. -Ketan

Not the finest hour for Shalmali or Ash -- both accomplished in their own right. -Tatsam

यादें वही

yaade.n wahii

Tags: background, disco, driving, happy arijit, loungey, memories, nostalgia, retro, synthpop, upbeat

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

1.95

Toggle Jury's comments

Pointless. -Ashok

Arijit and the arrangements transport us to 90s. -Pradeep

Wonderful composition. Love the different instruments. -Pankaj

Trippy. -Sukanya

Good bass/drum groove. Voice is pleasant enough. -Sanjeev

डूब जा (भूमि 2022)

Doob jaa (Bhoomi 2022)

Tags: angst, classical, dubstep, experimental, fiery, funky, fusion, hiphop, intense, love, mixed moods, rap, romance

सलीम-सुलेमान
Salim-Sulaiman

श्रद्धा पंडित
Shradha Pandit

सुनिधि चौहान, किंग
Sunidhi Chauhan, King

1.91

Toggle Jury's comments

Unabashedly derivative. -Sukanya

I only liked the singing and the varied genres that the song packs in. -Pradeep

Compared to the other Bhoomi 22 track on this playlist, this one is a bit more mainstream yet has enough layers complementing and contrasting each other to keep things very lively and interesting. Sunidhi Chauhan and King are very compelling at the vocals too. Salim-Sulaiman truly saved their best for this album! -Shasank

Sunidhi rocks the singing - not getting into the spastic words mashed together...song overall doesn't resonate with me and even her vocals can't save it. -Sanjeev

Sunidhi Chauhan = sublime. -Tatsam

It was good to hear Sunidhi after a while. -Sunil

Mix of rap and "soar". OK is about it. -Ashok

Thank you for that fleeting glimpse of dubstep. And Sunidhi Chauhan! -Meera

Sad, that even Sunidhi can't save this run-of-the-mill song. -Ketan

बातों बातों में

baato.n baato.n me.n

Tags: experimental, funky, fusion, electronic, groovy, innovative, mixed moods, new age, upbeat

शाश्वत सचदेव
Shashwat Sachdev

शाश्वत सचदेव, अनुमिता नदेसन
Shashwat Sachdev, Anumita Nadesan

1.90

Toggle Jury's comments

Not a fan of falsetto, especially when the notes are even not that high. -Meera

Makes magical connections within the listener. -Sukanya

More "new-age" singing...humorous maybe, but someone thinks this is artistic? Freeze-dried Raga Des? Synthetic whistle nadaswaram? -Sanjeev

It's tough to pick between Anumita's computerized voice and Shashwat's 'I-have-a head-cold' voice. -Ketan

I would have marked this negative if I could. -Anuradha

While the vocals are processed, the female hook line lifts the song when she starts 'kah do' followed by a quirky melody and the piano interlude is nice. -Pradeep

Love the innovative arrangements, particularly the percussion work and the way the vocal modulations are used. -Shasank

Groovy, fresh, has a brashness. -Zico

Meandering. -Ashok

क्या करें

kyaa kare.n

Tags: 90spop, love, memories, peppy, popular, retro, rock, romance, soothing, upbeat

अंकुर तिवारी
Ankur Tewari

अनन्या बिड़ला, अंकुर तिवारी
Ananya Birla, Ankur Tewari

1.87

Toggle Jury's comments

No. Just no. -Tatsam

Fine as far as it goes. -Ashok

Not sure I understand for the tired, laborious vocals by Ankur. They should have left the song to Ananya. -Ketan

Poem-recitation! But a few points for the music arrangements, those stood out for me. -Meera

This song transported me to 90s pop songs from Shaan/Alisha Chinai etc; yet the arrangement is far better with heavy string arrangements layered on top of a normal pop song. -Pradeep

The one relatively mainstream, albeit catchy and enjoyable pop number in this playlist. -Shasank

Nothing Indian about tune. Male vocals incorporate Urdu consonants, female doesn't bother. -Sanjeev

I can't believe I rated an Ananya Birla song 2. -Zico

सितारा (गुनहगार)

sitaaraa (Gunehgar)

Tags: anthem, catchy, groovy, hiphop, party, peppy, rap, romantic, upbeat

डिवाइन
Divine

डिवाइन, जोनिता गाँधी
Divine, Jonita Gandhi

1.85

Toggle Jury's comments

Divine flips the script and teaches here on how to best write a romantic verse - to the point, honest, revelatory statements that cut deep. Effectively rapped to a catchy beat, Jonita Gandhi's vocals complement the rap well to give the rest of the groovy flow this track needs. Also features a fun bridge with Gandhi's vocals. -Shasank

Irritating rap. -Ashok

Jonita is a very talented singer and deserves better compositions. -Sunil

Jonita Gandhi’s voice just accentuates this song brilliantly. Love the beats. Catchy lyrics. -Pankaj

Jonita makes it a somewhat decent rap. Divine intervention should have stopped the male singer. -Ketan

Jonita lends in the pep factor, that's that. -Sukanya

Fun! -Meera

बेवफ़ा माशूक़ा (डॉ अरोड़ा)

bewafaa maashooqaa (Dr. Arora)

Tags: love, nostalgic, playful, popular, retro, retro-ish, romance, throwback, upbeat, warm

सनी एम आर
Sunny M R

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

रवि मिश्रा
Ravi Mishra

1.77

Toggle Jury's comments

Voice is pleasant, if not overly ambitious, and avoids trying to show "I don't really care"; vaguely reminiscent of the 70s Kishore Kumar vibe (composition, not singing). -Sanjeev

Feel good - the words put a smile to my face. -Meera

All very ordinary. -Ashok

Lilting score, a la Barfi! -Sukanya

Nice little ditty but nothing that gets my blood racing. -Ketan

Happy little song, sweet, gentle and old fashioned. -Zico