Is new Bollywood music making a quiet comeback to top charts again?

New soundtracks such as Saiyaara and Metro… In Dino are climbing music charts and driving box-office buzz, signalling that Hindi film songs may finally be regaining their lost sheen. Entertainment industry experts say there is a growing realisation that soulful tracks that connect with audiences before theatrical release aid not just marketing campaigns but also a film’s overall box office performance.

Film songs retake the charts

According to data from the Indian Music Industry (IMI), the apex body representing music labels in India, for the week ending 15 August, six of the top 10 tracks on Spotify as well as YouTube were film songs, with the title track of Saiyaara ranking first.

On Amazon Music and JioSaavn, the numbers were even higher—with film tracks making up seven and eight of the top 10 songs respectively. Until a year ago, it was common for only two or three movie songs to feature in the top 10 list.

“The broader understanding within the film business always has been that songs are the soul of a movie. Audiences don’t see or hear anything before theatrical release, other than the songs or teaser and it is great that makers are back on track as far as songs go,” Ashutosh Agarwal, owner of Star World Cinemas in Uttar Pradesh, said.

Agarwal added while upcoming releases such as Param Sundari are also gaining traction thanks to music, a film like Dhadak 2 recently clocked in most of its business on the back of the songs. Moreover, it isn’t necessary for films to come with exhaustive catalogues today—even two songs, as in the case of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan, can help.

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Streaming boost

Vasundhara Mudgil, India head of PR and communications at Spotify, said that in the last few weeks, the platform has seen multiple releases—Saiyaara, Metro… In Dino, Dhadak 2, and Housefull 5—with songs from these films gaining traction on its charts and within user playlists.

“With over 11.5 crore all-time streams, Saiyaara’s title track didn’t only feature in Spotify India’s charts, but also made it to the top five tracks on Spotify’s Global Top 50 and to number one on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 playlists. Currently, four of the songs from the film feature in the India Top 50 playlist. It’s also worth highlighting that Coolie’s soundtrack, though primarily Tamil, is the number two most-streamed music album in India at the moment, with more than 6 crore all-time streams within days of release,” Mudgil added.

To be sure, a senior executive at a music label said it is important to not jump the gun as far as the draw for film soundtracks goes, since much of it is reflective of the films themselves working at the box office. For example, at last count, Saiyaara had crossed the ₹330 crore mark in cinemas. “It is a symbiotic relationship,” the executive added.

Many film trade experts point out it is rare for people to turn up for movies whose songs haven’t caught on, especially in the current age of social media where algorithms dictate tastes and what youngsters decide to spend on.

“This is especially true for films that don’t feature stars that are unlikely to guarantee an initial opening unless for hit songs,” said Pranav Garg, managing director at Maya Palace, a two-screen cinema in Muzaffarnagar.