The music scenario in 2010 was very reassuring as there was a great balance with good music. If on one side the youth brigade rocked, there was a legend like Illayaraja saying they still hold on top. There were films which were saved by its music and also films that failed after over dependence on only music. In short 2010 is a good year for film music as the category.

A first look at the music will definitely say the year belonged to Yuvan Shankar Raja who with a variety of music captured most of the music lovers in 2010. The young GV Prakash didn’t make a great impact except for a few sparkles here and there. Deva, Devi Sri Prasad and Bharadwaj did not shake even in super star films. Vijay Antony saved some grace with ‘Angadi Theru’.

When songs are touted as a make or break element of a film by many, there were quite a film that defied that belief. Bale Pandiya, Mundhinam Partheney, Bayam Ariyaan, Kadhal Solla Vandhen, Kanimozhi and Tha are some films that could not get any leverage from the great music they had. Similarly some super hit movies like ‘Singam’ and ‘Boss Engira Baskaran’ did not take too much help from their music to be successful.

Surprisingly the best music director of the previous year Harris Jayaraj did not have a single film in 2010. However he has enough to rattle in the New Year with some great films like Engeyum Kadhal, Ko and 7m Arivu. But AR Rahman who didn’t have a single film in 2009, paid back his fans with interest. All his three films, Vinnaithandi Varuvaya, Raavanan and Endhiran, were outstanding.

Maestro Illayaraja did one film that was enough to speak volumes of the legend. Mysskin himself acknowledged the Maestro’s role in making his ‘Nandalala’ a classic. D Imman was another revelation in 2010. His songs in ‘Mynaa’ were true to life and gave him the long due recognition. So were SS Kumaran in ‘Kalavani’ and Taj Noor in ‘Vamsam’.

But the year 2010 undoubtedly belonged to the whiz kid Yuvan Shankar Raja. He scored music for eight films and most of them were terrific enough to augment the success of the films. Goa (Idhu Vaarai), Baana Kaathadi (Thakkutthe Kan Thakkuthe), Kaadhal Solla Vandhen (Enna Enna Aagiraen), Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai (Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai) , Paiyaa (Thuli Thuli), Thillalangadi (Sol Pechu Kekatha), Naan Mahaan Alla(Iragai Pole) and Boss Engira Bhaskaran (Yaar Intha Penthan) are just few drops of Yuvan ocean in 2010.

If the whole film made a kind of impact then there were a few singles that were novel and conceptually different. “Oh Mahazeeya” from ‘Thamizh Padam’, “Happy Song” from ‘Bale Pandiya’ and the “Jilla Vittu” from ‘Easan’ are some great innovative ideas in 2010.

On the whole Tamil film music in 2010 was reassuring and makes it worth waiting for the New Year.

Music Director 0f 2010 – Yuvan Shankar Raja

Top 10 Musicals of 2010

(In alphabetical order)

1. Angadi Theru

2. Baana Kaathadi

3. Endhiran

4. Kalavani

5. Madraspattinam

6. Mynaa

7. Naan Mahaan Alla

8. Nandalala

9. Paiyaa

10. Vinnaithandi Varuvaya

Top 10 Singles of 2010

(In alphabetical order)

Aval Appadi Onrum by Vijay Antony in 'Angadi Theru'

Idhu Vaarai by Yuvan Shankar Raja in 'Goa'

Iruge Pole by Yuvan Shankar Raja in 'Naan Mahaan Alla'

Kili Manjaro by AR Rahman in 'Endhiran'

Mannippaya by AR Rahman in Vinnaithandi Varuvaya

Mynaa Mynaa Nenjukulla by D Imman in 'Mynaa'

Naan Pogiren Mele Mele by James Vasanthan in 'Naanayam'

Oru Murai Iru Murai by S.S. Kumaran in 'Kalavani'

Thuli Thuli by Yuvan Shankar Raja in 'Paiyaa'

Usure Poguthe by AR Rahman in 'Raavanan'

Coming Up - REWIND- The Actresses of 2010