Page 38 - Seniors Today Jan20 Issue
P. 38
that scenario, it required a completely different
platform to make it big, and Indipop gave them
the opportunities.
Thirdly, with music channels coming up in
a big way, music was being seen and not only
heard. Besides MTV and Channel V, music
was shown on etc and B4U. Even Doordarshan
and the general entertainment channels had
music countdown shows, where Indipop was
increasingly shown.
If Magnasound and BMG-Crescendo set off
the Indipop wave, other companies got into
the act. By 1998, the genre was in full swing.
HMV, which later became Saregama India,
Colonial Cousins released albums by the Aslam-Shibani duo,
arrived full-time, the two channels competed Raageshwari, a young Sunidhi Chauhan and
over who would get the music video out or have Shankar Mahadevan. Times Music began by
artiste interviews first. By the time the Channel releasing remix albums, besides newcomer
V Music Awards were launched later that year, Abbey.
many new pop stars had arrived on the circuit. Sony Music had albums by the established
A few months after Chinai’s Made In India Rahman, and newcomers Ritika Sahni and
made it big, Magnasound released Daler KK, whose Pal was very popular on the college
Mehndi’s Punjabi pop album Bolo Ta Ra Ra. circuit. The label even took over Magnasound’s
The title track became a rage in the north, and Colonial Cousins and BMG-Crescendo’s Lucky
eventually caught on in other parts of India Ali. Universal Music recorded the remix
and abroad. With their sheer energy and dance compilation Rahul And I, and the album
factor, Mehndi’s live shows sent audiences into Jaanam Samjha Karo with the legendary Asha
a frenzy. The album went on to sell two million Bhosle. Venus Records had the smash qawwali-
units. pop hit Tum To Thehre Pardesi by Altaf Raja,
besides releasing Hema Sardesai’s Hindustani
The winning factor Gudiya.
What made Indipop click? And that too at a Virgin Records began with the instrumental
time when Hindi film music was doing well, album Eastern Journey by Biddu, before signing
with music directors A.R. Rahman, Nadeem- on Chinai and Shubha Mudgal. In 1999, Sonu
Shravan, Jatin-Lalit and Anu Malik churning hit Nigam, known as the host of the TV programme
after hit? Sa Re Ga Ma, had a hit with the T-Series album
The main reason was that people wanted a Deewana.
new sound which was different from staple Some artistes had unique sounds. Mehndi’s
Bollywood fare. They were looking for a good success kicked off the whole bhangra-pop
mix of love songs and party numbers, and movement. Lucky Ali’s album Sunoh had a
Indipop provided them just that. In the 1980s, good blend of simplicity and soul. Silk Route
ghazals had provided stiff competition to film were to use that formula effectively later.
music, but that craze had died down. Colonial Cousins blended Indian and western
Secondly, there were a number of talented sounds. Delhi-based Euphoria, led by Palash
singers who just didn’t get a break in Bollywood, Sen, started a trend in Hindi-rock, and Indian
which was then ruled by Udit Narayan, Alka Ocean, also from the capital, became a big-name
Yagnik, Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurti, in fusion-rock. The bands Aryans and Agosh
followed by Abhijeet and Sadhna Sargam. In attracted youngsters.
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David Gilmour
