If you grew up between 2007 and 2015, these songs were the soundtrack of your TV screen. This is our list of the 100 most nostalgic 9XM songs: the Bollywood hits that played on repeat on 9XM, from Jab We Met to Aashiqui 2, ranked by how strongly they take you back.
Quick Answer (9XM Era, 2007–2015)
What is the most nostalgic 9XM song?
“Tum Hi Ho” from Aashiqui 2 (2013) tops our list of nostalgic Bollywood hits.
▾
What is the most nostalgic 9XM song?
“Tum Hi Ho” from Aashiqui 2 (2013) tops our list of nostalgic Bollywood hits.
Atif Aslam’s “Tu Jaane Na” (2009) is second and “Badtameez Dil” (2013) is third. 2010 has the most songs on the list, with 19.
Jump to Section (Table of Contents)
Top 100 Most Nostalgic 9XM Songs (2007–2015)
The board below ranks the 100 most nostalgic 9XM songs, with the film and release year for each. The coloured bar shows the era each song belongs to. Click any thumbnail or title to watch the official video.
Top 10 Nostalgic 9XM Songs: Breakdown
Here is why these ten 9XM songs sit at the top of our list, and what made each one a channel favourite.
1. Tum Hi Ho – Arijit Singh
Film: Aashiqui 2 (2013) | Music: Mithoon
Why it’s nostalgic: The song that made Arijit Singh a household name.
Few heartbreak songs have been replayed as often as Tum Hi Ho. It tops our list of nostalgic 9XM songs because it marked the start of the Arijit era that still shapes Bollywood music today.
2. Tu Jaane Na – Atif Aslam
Film: Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009) | Music: Pritam
Why it’s nostalgic: Peak Atif Aslam, at the height of his Bollywood run.
Picturised on Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, this sad love song is one of the defining 9XM songs and was a fixture on music channels and on every phone’s ringtone list in 2009 and 2010.
3. Badtameez Dil – Benny Dayal
Film: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) | Music: Pritam
Why it’s nostalgic: The fast-talking party song everyone tried (and failed) to sing along to.
Ranbir Kapoor’s energy and Benny Dayal’s rapid lyrics made Badtameez Dil the college-fest anthem of 2013, and one of the four YJHD tracks among these 9XM songs.
4. Tera Hone Laga Hoon – Atif Aslam & Alisha Chinai
Film: Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009) | Music: Pritam
Why it’s nostalgic: Atif’s second entry in the top 5, from the same album.
Soft, romantic and endlessly replayed, this duet is one of the best-loved romantic 9XM songs. It showed how one Pritam soundtrack could fill a music channel’s playlist for months.
5. Chammak Challo – Akon & Hamsika Iyer
Film: Ra.One (2011) | Music: Vishal–Shekhar
Why it’s nostalgic: Akon singing in Hindi felt like a global moment for Bollywood.
With Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor on screen and an international star behind the mic, Chammak Challo was one of the most talked-about 9XM songs of 2011.
6. Pee Loon – Mohit Chauhan
Film: Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010) | Music: Pritam
Why it’s nostalgic: The definitive Emraan Hashmi romantic song.
Mohit Chauhan’s gentle voice and the film’s retro look made Pee Loon one of the late-night 9XM songs everyone remembers. It is one of five Mohit Chauhan songs on this list.
7. Sheila Ki Jawani – Sunidhi Chauhan & Vishal Dadlani
Film: Tees Maar Khan (2010) | Music: Vishal–Shekhar
Why it’s nostalgic: The dance number of 2010, alongside Munni.
Katrina Kaif’s item song was everywhere, from weddings to school functions, and its rivalry with Munni Badnaam Hui is part of why 2010 has more 9XM songs here than any other year.
8. Munni Badnaam Hui – Mamta Sharma & Aishwarya Nigam
Film: Dabangg (2010) | Music: Lalit Pandit
Why it’s nostalgic: The desi folk-style hit that started a wave of item songs.
Featuring Malaika Arora and Salman Khan, Munni is among the loudest 9XM songs of the decade and brought a rustic sound back into the mainstream. Dabangg also gives us Tere Mast Mast Do Nain at #37.
9. Tum Se Hi – Mohit Chauhan
Film: Jab We Met (2007) | Music: Pritam
Why it’s nostalgic: The oldest song in our top 10, from the year 9XM launched.
Jab We Met has three entries among these 9XM songs, and Tum Se Hi remains the one people return to most.
10. Chikni Chameli – Shreya Ghoshal
Film: Agneepath (2012) | Music: Ajay–Atul
Why it’s nostalgic: Shreya Ghoshal surprising everyone with a full-on dance number.
One of the boldest 9XM songs of 2012, Katrina Kaif’s performance and Ajay–Atul’s Marathi folk-inspired beat completed the decade’s trio of iconic item songs. Shreya Ghoshal appears on 12 songs here, more than any other singer.
Songs by Era
The 100 9XM songs on this list are spread across four eras:
- 2007–2008 (16 songs): the launch years, with Jab We Met, Om Shanti Om, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Jannat.
- 2009–2010 (34 songs): the peak of the era, led by Pritam soundtracks and the Sheila vs Munni battle. 2010 alone has 19 songs, the most of any year.
- 2011–2012 (18 songs): big Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan albums such as Ready, Bodyguard and Ra.One, plus Cocktail.
- 2013–2015 (32 songs): the Arijit Singh and Honey Singh years, with Aashiqui 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Chennai Express.
Films & Singers
- Most songs by film: Aashiqui 2 (5), Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (4) and Jab We Met (3).
- Most songs by singer: Shreya Ghoshal (12), Arijit Singh (9), KK (8), and Sunidhi Chauhan and Neeraj Shridhar (6 each).
- Composer of the era: Pritam is behind many of the biggest songs here, including Tu Jaane Na, Badtameez Dil, Pee Loon and Tum Se Hi.
- Party vs romance: the list is split between dance hits like Sheila Ki Jawani and Lungi Dance and love songs like Tum Hi Ho and Zara Sa, the two moods that defined 9XM songs.
Key Takeaways
- Arijit Singh tops the list: Tum Hi Ho marks the moment Bollywood’s sound shifted toward his voice.
- 2010 was the peak year: it has more songs here than any other year.
- Pritam ruled the era: four of the top 10 9XM songs are his compositions.
- KK’s voice runs through it: from Zara Sa to Dil Ibaadat, his eight songs are some of the most loved 9XM songs.
- Item songs became events: Munni, Sheila, Chikni Chameli and Fevicol Se were each the talk of the country for a season.
How We Ranked These Songs
What counts: This is an editorial ranking of the most nostalgic 9XM songs: Bollywood songs released between 2007 and 2015 that were staples of Hindi music channels. Songs are ranked by how strongly they are tied to that era, based on their popularity at release, how often they were played and how widely they are still remembered. It is not ranked by YouTube views, and the list does not change automatically. Links go to official uploads.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 9XM?
9XM is a Hindi music TV channel that launched in India in 2007. It plays Bollywood songs back to back and became famous for its funny animated fillers between videos.
What is the most nostalgic 9XM song?
In our ranking, “Tum Hi Ho” from Aashiqui 2 (2013) is #1, followed by “Tu Jaane Na” and “Badtameez Dil”.
Which film has the most songs on this list?
Aashiqui 2 has five songs, followed by Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani with four and Jab We Met with three.
Which singer appears most often?
Shreya Ghoshal is on 12 songs, followed by Arijit Singh with 9 and KK with 8.
Is this list ranked by YouTube views?
No. These 9XM songs are ranked by nostalgia: how strongly each song is tied to the 2007–2015 music-channel era. For a list ranked by views, see our Most Viewed Hindi Songs on YouTube.
Conclusion
From Tum Se Hi in 2007 to Agar Tum Saath Ho in 2015, these 9XM songs capture a time when a music channel was where you discovered every new Bollywood hit. Which one takes you back the most?
More Bollywood charts: the Most Viewed Hindi Songs on YouTube, the Top 50 Most Viewed Indian Songs and this week’s Top Indian Songs on YouTube.
