MUSIC Today’s association with Sony Music has added a new dimension to music. It has compiled popular songs of top singers in audio cassettes and has also introduced VCDs of these songs which are at about the same rates as music CDs. So, while those who purchase the music cassette can hear these much-loved songs, those who go in for the VCD can also view clips from various films.

Various albums feature Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Lata and Asha together, A.R. Rahman and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The Nusrat albums have been released in association with Nupur Audio.

The unusual thing is that only a few songs are common in the cassette and the album. Since only those songs have been incorporated for which it was possible to get the copyright, these cannot really be called the artistes’ best. Some of these are also version recordings.

The Lata cassette has the title song of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Aate Jaate from Maine Pyar Kiya, Pyaara sa gaon from Zubeidaa, Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahin from Aandhi, Aye mere watan ke logon, Kora kagaz tha yeh man mera from Aradhana, Naina barase from Woh Kaun Thi, Yeh kahan aa gaye hum from Silsila, Didi tera dewar deewana from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and O paalanhaare from Lagaan.

The Asha Top 10 includes old hits like Chura liya hai tumne jo dil to from Yaadon Ki Baraat and Dum maro dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna and new ones like Zara sa jhoom loon main from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Le Gayee Le Gayee from box-office sizzler Dil To Pagal Hai.

A.R. Rahman is featured through Dil Se and Chhaiyyan Chhaiyyan from Dil Se, Mehndi hai rachne wali from Zubeidaa and six other hits.

Sisters Top 10 includes hits like Baahon mein chale aao and Dil deewana bin sajna ke by Lata, Le Gayee Le Gayee and Jaane jaan by Asha and six other all-time hits by the Mangeshkar sisters.

Some of the tracks in the Nusrat album are Duma dum mast qalandar, Kinna sohna tainu Rabb ne banaya, Akhiyaan udeekdiyan and Mera piya ghar aaya.

Remix is the in-thing these days. While fly-by-night companies are doing a shoddy job, Gramophone Company of India, which holds the copyright of some of the greatest hits, has joined the fray with a professional job done by Jai walia.

The remixed songs include Inhi logon ne from Pakeezah by Pamela Jain, Hansta hua noorani chehra by Pamela Jain and Pritha Mukherji from Parasmani, Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan leejiye by Gayatri Iyer from Umrao Jaan and Badan pe sitare lapete huye by Shikha from Prince.

There is also a Punjabi medley of songs like Kala shah kala and Lathe di chadar by Poonam Bhatia and Shaily.

Puritans may find this tinkering with old hits distasteful but the remixes have caused a revival of these songs on the dance floor.