I am liberally borrowing a phrase from Tennis, Grand Slam and using it in the context of Ilaiyaraja’s music. I have coined the word “Grand Slam” album just to mean all those albums where almost all the songs are very good. Every composer has had albums where all the songs are worth listening, though this trend is becoming a rarity these days. Considering the huge oeuvre of Raja, I am listing 40 albums across languages where I felt they were deserving of the Grand Slam tag, this is a random list in no particular order. I have excluded the albums of MSV-Raja collaboration as it is a topic for another blog post.
- Guru (Malayalam): Raja’s collaboration with the Budapest Symphony orchestra
- Mouna Raagam
- Agni Nakshathram
- Thalapathy
- Geethanjali (Telugu)
- Anjali: A case study on how to compose for a film based on children
- Amman Koil Kizhakkale
- Aboorva Sagodharargal (multi-genre album)
- Chinna Thambi (this movie also ran because of its music)
- Dhoni (contemporary Raja using live instruments)
- Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal (what a masterpice album!)
- Karagattakaran
- Gopura Vaasalile
- Idhaya Koil
- Idhayam
- Kadhalukku Mariyadhai
- Keladi Kanmani
- Pithamagan
- Naan Kadavul
- Needhane En Ponvasandham
- Ninaivellaam Nithya
- Nizhalgal
- Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
- Punnagai Mannan
- Sindhu Bhairavi
- Uliyin Osai (classical+folk+melody songs, one magical album)
- Villupattukkaran (folksy classical songs, each of them a gem)
- Ejamaan
- Uzhaippali
- Poovizhi Vaasalile
- Sri Rama Rajyam (a grand devotional Telugu soundtrack)
- Anumanaspadam (Telugu)
- Mahanadhi
- Olangal (Malayalam, a vintage classic)
- Geetha (Kannada, all masterpiece songs)
- Chinna Kounder
- Udhaya Geetham
- Kizhakku Vaasal
- Unnal Mudiyum Thambi
- Mudhal Mariyadhai
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