Originally Posted by Violin Vicky
Raaja's output post 2K (or more specifically post 2005) is a highly subjective debate. When his songs are not in regular "Top 10s" anymore, either you can question him or you can question the criteria to get into "Top10". I second Suresh that, there is surely no drop in the quality of melody construction from Raaja. If anything I would actually put my finger on the other half of the song.. i.e., "deliberate" and "not-tuned-to-the-present" way of arranging Rhythm as a factor that's become a dampner (personal opinion again); His electronic Rhythmic tones are somehow not "sounding" like those other loops. The answer is clear for everyone to see from horse's mouth here.
Poor Movie selection, outrageously conspicuous logistical choices both involving him or not(i.e., for audio management, unexplained delays or invisibility of his movies such as nandhalala, Ajantha), Over reliance of Keeravani in his tunes, Obsession to sing more of his own songs as compared to the past, Appalling Lyrics ("Rasathila Uppa Pottupputten" ellam oru lyric! this is in the Karugamani song..), deliberate singers who are rather stale in executing 'hip' songs (as compared to the natural flair of SPB lets say), Absence of solid variation and unexpected surprises in his interludes (which has been a corner stone so far) are some of the factors which I would attribute to the perceived drop in quality by us while the chief factor is also that, when "Nakka Mukka" becomes the topper there is of course no place for Raaja in such a list..
Having said all this, I must point out the other side of Raaja's last few years. Show me another composer who can compose a song like Sabhdamayee or Om Enum pranava (classical), Bagyadha Balegara (Folk), Paa or any of the other ones (For urban/ jazz).. or for that matter the old Acoustic Raaja thats still possible to find in songs like Ninnukori (sunny) or Indha Ulagil (Madhu) or umpteen other songs.. As much as we "feel" a perceived drop in quality, we have also failed to notice the kind of songs we want from him. That is, we are expecting unmusical output from him because that has become a norm even before we realized. This is my opinion as also proven by him in that youtube link.