Loved in Death

Bhupen Hazarika would have been happy with the hysteria his music generated last week.

Bhupen Hazarika would have been happy with the hysteria his music generated last week. Radio stations and TV channels had constant reruns of Samay dheere chalo,Hazarika’s composition for Kalpana Lajmi’s Rudaali. This song and Dil hoom hoom kare,from the same film,soared to the top of iTunes and Napster slots and registered millions of hits on YouTube. As news spread that Hazarika,known as the “Voice of Assam” had passed away,fans rediscovered his music,and paid tribute by soaking in the nostalgia of his lyrics. In October,a similar obsession surrounded Woh kaagaz ki kashti and other ghazals after the death of Jagjit Singh. Woh kaagaz ki kashti was among the top 10 tracks on music websites such as Musicindiaonline. Music companies such as SaReGaMa advertised compilations while fans thronged stores to pick up the last available CDs of the ghazal king.

Internationally,Grammy-award-winning singer Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black shot back to the top of the British charts after the 27-year-old succumbed to alcohol overdose in July. And the King of Pop,Michael Jackson,ruled once again,posthumously,when his record sales touched 750 million worldwide after his death in 2009 — a feat unparalleled by any other musician. Ironic though it is,artistes seem to become even more popular after death as the ringing cash registers and downloads prove. “It is all about the emotional connect. Many youngsters download the albums online. Many people rush to the stores immediately after an artiste dies and grab the last few albums available. This is their way of staying close and grieving,” explains Manu Kohli,General Manager,Music Today.

Many fans find their own lives reflected in songs. Music becomes a footnote for relationships and an artiste’s ideas turn into cultural reference points. “So when such an artiste dies,people feel a strong sense of loss. The day Jagjit Singh passed away,not a single album was left on our rather-large ghazal stands,” says Mukul Malik,Store Manager at Planet M,Select Citywalk,Delhi. SaReGaMa also increased the production of Shukrana,the last compilation that was released on Singh’s 70th birthday in February. “We sold 50,000 copies immediately. Singh’s death sparked off a huge demand and we had to gear up to deal with it. We had to increase the production of other albums too,” says Adarsh Gupta,A&R manager with SaReGaMa.

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Universal Music recently announced the release of Winehouse’s last recording,Lioness Hidden Treasures,to hit the shelves during Christmas. A 12-track album,it will have the singer’s deep voice rendering unreleased originals,alternative versions of familiar tracks,and two tracks that she had planned for her next album. Lioness Hidden Treasures looks set for posthumous stardom. Fans are already betting on a Grammy for it. “This album was due for a long time. Considering that her last album sold more than seven million copies,we will release more copies of Lioness Hidden Treasures. The last studio album of an artiste generally sells a lot,” says Sunil D’Sa,Vice-President,Marketing,Universal Music.

Last month,SaReGaMa compiled famous tracks of Shammi Kapoor and released them on his 80th birth anniversary,a couple of months after his death. It was launched by Shammi’s nephew,Rishi Kapoor,in Mumbai. The edition Legends Shammi Kapoor: 80 Glorious Years contains 80 memorable tracks from Kapoor’s films.

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