The phenomenon of 2011 called `Kolaveri di`

New Delhi: The chartbusters in 2011 saw the likes of `Bhaag D K Bose`, `Sadda haq`, `Dhinka chika` and `Chammak Challo` fighting for supremacy until Dhanush crooned `Kolaveri di` and as the year drew to a close his soup song was on everyone`s lips.

Controversial lyrics, inspirations from global folk, influence of Punjabi music were the order of the day. There was agony as well as the music world lost some of its best known names. Classical music maestro Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, legendary singer composer Bhupen Hazarika, ghazal king Jagjit Singh, sarangi player and singer Ustad Sultan Khan and actors Shammi Kapoor and Dev Anand, on whom hundreds of Bollywoods songs were pictured, passes away during the year. Of the films released in the year, the music of A R Rahman`s "Rockstar" stood out. While `Sadda haq` became a virtual anthem of sorts, other songs of the Ranbir Kapoor-Nargis Fakri starrer like the foot-tapping `Tango for Taj` and the Sufi `Kun faya kun` were quite hummable. The year also marked a new achievement for the double Oscar-winner, who collaborated with international names like Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Dave Stewart and Damian Marley for `SuperHeavy`, taking `Satyamev Jayate` to the global audience in the band`s first album. Raising hopes for the coveted Oscars, three songs from "Dam 999`, which sparked the Mullaperiyar dam controversy, are in the race in the Academy`s Original Song category. `Dakkanaga dugu dugu`, `DAM999 theme song` and `Mujhe chod ke` are penned by director Sohan Roy and set to tune by noted Malayalam composer Ousephachan. Some of the big names of the musical world came to India during the year -- Bryan Adams, Metallica, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Bob Sinclar and Pitbull. However, Delhiites missed their date with Adams and Metallica as the concerts were postponed and cancelled due to various reasons. Three of the year`s top songs were inspired by folk songs from abroad. The rumbustious `Darling` from "Saath Khoon Maaf" sung by Usha Uthup and Rekha Bharadwaj was inspired by the Kalinka song of Russia. Then there was Himesh Reshammiya`s love song `Teri Meri` from "Bodyguard", which was a rip off of Romanian folk song La Betleem (Down There in Bethlehem). The `Senorita` song from "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" had lots of Spanish elements infused in it. Punjabi songs like `Sadi gali` (Tanu Weds Manu) and `Laung da Lashkara` (Patiala House) also rocked. Salman Khan`s `Dhinka chika` and `Character dheela` (Ready) also figured in the chartbusters for quite some time. Some songs had their share of controversy as well. `Bhaag DK Bose` ("Delhi Belly") was under fire from critics for its double meaning lyrics but was a craze among youth. International singer Akon featured in the `Chammak Challo` song of Shah Rukh Khan`s much-hyped "Ra.One". Bappi Lahiri then pulled up one from his sleeve to compose for the Vidya Balan starrer "The Dirty Picture", the most notable song being `Ooh la la`. But the winner definitely was the Tanglish song `Kolaveri di`, which had more than 18 million views in only three weeks. PTI