The most popular singer in the history of Earth will be performing in Atlanta on Friday night.

That’s not hyperbole. At 71, Bollywood film musical vocalist Asha Bhosle is thought to be the most recorded singer in history with over 50,000 songs to her credit. Her only competition in that category is her older sister Lata Mangeshkar, who supposedly held the record until 1991 or so.

Bhosle and her sister did not appear in the films. They served as what Bollywood calls “playback singers,” recording the vocal parts that would then be lip-synched on film by actors.

If you’ve ever watched a Bollywood musical film and thought to yourself “Jeez, they all sound the same,” it’s because they literally are the same. The majority of female parts in the majority of Bollywood films made thus far have featured the glorious, three-plus-octave singing voices of Asha Bhosle or Lata Mangeshkar. Because of India’s large population, Bollywood’s rapid film output, and Bhosle’s breakneck workpace and six decade career, Bhosle can rightfully claim to be the most popular singer in the history of the world. Or, if you prefer, in this world of lazy pseudo-journalism we call the blogosphere, I can certainly claim the title for her on this blog’s behalf.

Bhosle will be at the Fox on Friday night. Her performance will raise money for Indian villages hit by December’s tsunami.