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Encyclopedia > Music of Pakistan

Music of Pakistan: Topics
Semi-Classical Ghazals
Qawwali Folk
Pakistani Pop Filmi
Sufi Rock Bhangra
Awards Lux Style Awards, MTV Pakistan Awards, Indus Music Awards, The Musik Awards
Charts MTV Pakistan Charts, AAG 10, The Musik Countdown
Music Festivals All Pakistani Music Conference
Media MTV Pakistan, Indus Music, The Musik, AAG TV
National anthem "Qaumi Tarana"
Regional folk styles
Balochi - Punjabi - Sindhi - Pastho - Kashmiri Khowar - Saraiki - Farsi - Hindko

The music of Pakistan includes diverse elements ranging from Central Asian folk music as well as music from South Asia, Persian music, Turkish music,Arabic music as well as more modern American music influences. Pakistan is a country which lies at a crossroad of cultures from South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With the multiple influences, Pakistani music has emerged as a "fusion" of many other types of sounds together to form a distinctly Pakistani sound. In poetry (and as the lyrics in songs), the ghazal is a poetic form consisting of couplets which share a rhyme and a refrain. ... Qawwali (Urdu: قوٌالی, Hindi: क़वाली) is the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis of the Indian Subcontinent. ... Lollywood (Urdu: لالیوڈ) refers to the Pakistani film industry, based in the city of Lahore. ... The term Sufi rock describes the sound of famous Pakistani rock band Junoon. ... Bhangra is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia. ... Lux Style Awards is the only award ceremony in Pakistan, that covers all areas of entertainment and fashion. ... MTVs official logo MTV (Music Television) Pakistan or IM-MTV Asia is the Pakistani subsidiary of MTV, a cable television network headquartered in New York. ... Indus Media Group (IMG) is Pakistani company broadcasting a mix of free-to-air news and entertainment channels via satellite. ... The Musik is a 24-hour Urdu-English music channel from Pakistan. ... MTVs official logo MTV (Music Television) Pakistan or IM-MTV Asia is the Pakistani subsidiary of MTV, a cable television network headquartered in New York. ... Geo TV or GEO Television is an Urdu Pakistani television network that was established in May 2002 and officially began transmission in October 2002. ... The Musik is a 24-hour Urdu-English music channel from Pakistan. ... MTVs official logo MTV (Music Television) Pakistan or IM-MTV Asia is the Pakistani subsidiary of MTV, a cable television network headquartered in New York. ... Indus Media Group (IMG) is Pakistani company broadcasting a mix of free-to-air news and entertainment channels via satellite. ... The Musik is a 24-hour Urdu-English music channel from Pakistan. ... Geo TV or GEO Television is an Urdu Pakistani television network that was established in May 2002 and officially began transmission in October 2002. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Flag of Pakistan The Qaumi Tarana (Urdu: , Qaumī Tarāna National Anthem, from Persian Tarāna-e Qowm) is the national anthem of Pakistan. ... Balochi (also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. ... Punjabi redirects here. ... Sindhī (سنڌي, सिन्धी) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... Pashto (‎, IPA: also known as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto ‎, Pashtoe, Pashtu, Pushtu or Pushtoo) is a language spoken by Pashtuns living in Afghanistan and western Pakistan. ... Kashmiri (कॉशुर, کٲشُر Koshur) is a northwestern Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in the valley of Kashmir, a region situated mostly in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. ... Khowar is classified as a Dardic language. ... ... Farsi may refer to: The name of the the Persian language among native speakers Farsi Island, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf The Jafari Shia Tajiks of Central Asia Salman al-Farsi, one of the prophet Muhammads companions Al-Farisi (1260-1320), Persian mathematician and physicist Jalaleddin Farsi... Hindko is an ancient language spoken in the Indian subcontinent. ... The music of Central Asia is as vast and unique as the many cultures and peoples who inhabit the region (that is, not particularly vast or unique). ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Moosiqi Asil or Persian music is the traditional and indigenous music of Persia and Persian-speaking countries: musiqi, the science and art of music, and moosiqi, the sound and performance of music (Sakata 1983). ... Turkish music includes the music of modern Turkey, together with related musics in neighbouring regions that once lay within the former Ottoman Empire, and closely related ethnic variants in Central Asia stretching as far as the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. ... Arabic music includes several genres and styles of music ranging from Arab classical to Arabic pop music and from secular to sacred music. ... The music of the United States includes a number of kinds of distinct folk and popular music, including some of the most widely-recognized styles in the world. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Contents

Classical music

See also Classical Music & Gharana Hindustani Classical Music is an Indian classical music tradition that took shape in northern India in the 13th and 14th centuries AD from existing religious, folk, and theatrical performance practices. ... For the 1961 Hindi film, see Gharana. ...

A boy is mending a Sitar in Islamabad
A boy is mending a Sitar in Islamabad

Pakistani classical music has 7 basic notes (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni), with five interspersed half-notes, resulting in a 12-note scale. Unlike the 12-note scale in Western music, the base frequency of the scale is not fixed, and intertonal gaps (temper) may also vary; however with the gradual replacement of the sarangi by the harmonium, an equal tempered scale is increasingly used. The performance is set to a melodic pattern (raag) characterized in part by specific ascent and descent. Other characteristics include King and Queen notes and a unique note phrase (Pakad). In addition each raga has its natural register (Ambit) and glissando (Meend) rules, as well as features specific to different styles and compositions within the raga structure. Performances are usually marked by considerable improvisation within these norms. It is traditional for performers who have reached a distinguished level of achievement, to be awarded titles of Ustad. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 295 KB) Summary Usman Waqqas Chohan demonstrating at a sitar workshop in Islamabad, Pakistan Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 295 KB) Summary Usman Waqqas Chohan demonstrating at a sitar workshop in Islamabad, Pakistan Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... For other places called Islamabad, see Islamabad (disambiguation). ... Look up Temper in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Anant Kunte playing the sarangi (2007) The Sarangi (Sarangi [सारंगी] is a bowed string instrument of , Nepal. ... A Harmonium is a free-standing musical keyboard instrument similar to a Reed Organ or Pipe Organ. ... Equal temperament is a scheme of musical tuning in which the octave is divided into a series of equal steps (equal frequency ratios). ... Raga (rāg /राग (Hindi), raga (anglicised from rāgaḥ/रागः (Sanskrit)) or rāgam /ராகம் (Tamil)) are the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. ... In Hindustani music, a pakad is a generally-accepted musical phrase (or set of phrases) thought to encapsulate the essence of a particular raga. ... The perimeter is the distance around a given two-dimensional object. ... In Hindustani music meend refers to the bending or deflecting of pitches. ...


Instruments

Diagram of some sitar parts. ... The tabla (Hindi: तब्ला, tablā, Urdu: تبلہ) is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. ... A Harmonium is a free-standing musical keyboard instrument similar to a Reed Organ or Pipe Organ. ... Anant Kunte playing the sarangi (2007) The Sarangi (Sarangi [सारंगी] is a bowed string instrument of , Nepal. ... The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut, with seventy strings. ...

Gharanas

A gharana is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage and/or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A recent documentary film, Khayal Darpan, traces the development of classical music in Pakistan since 1947.


Famous Composers and Performers

Roshanara Begum was the younger daughter of the Mughal Ruler Shah Jahan (real name Khurram). ... This article is about the Pakistani musician. ...

Ghazal music

Main article: Ghazal

In poetry, the ghazal (Persian: غزل; Turkish gazel) is a poetic form consisting of couplets which share a rhyme and a refrain. Each line must share the same meter. Etymologically, the word literally refers to "the mortal cry of a gazelle". The animal is called Ghizaal, from which the English word gazelles stems, or Kastori haran (where haran refers to deer) in Urdu. Ghazals are traditionally expressions of love, separation and loneliness, for which the gazelle is an appropriate image. A ghazal can thus be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 10th century Persian verse. It is derived from the Persian qasida. The structural requirements of the ghazal are more stringent than those of most poetic forms traditionally written in English. In its style and content it is a genre which has proved capable of an extraordinary variety of expression around its central theme of love and separation. It is considered by many to be one of the principal poetic forms the Persian civilization offered to the eastern Islamic world. This article is about the poetic form. ... This article is about the art form. ... Farsi redirects here. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... For the Angel episode, see Couplet (Angel episode). ... A rhyme is a repetition of identical or similar sounds in two or more different words and is most often used in poetry. ... A refrain (from the Old French refraindre to repeat, likely from Vulgar Latin refringere) is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the chorus of a song. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... Farsi redirects here. ... Qasida (also spelled qasidah) in Arabic قصيدة, in Persian قصیده, is a form of poetry from pre-Islamic Arabia. ... This article is about the Persian people, an ethnic group found mainly in Iran. ...


The ghazal spread into South Asia in the 12th century under the influence of the new Islamic Sultanate courts and Sufi mystics. Exotic to the region, as is indicated by the very sounds of the name itself when properly pronounced as ġazal. Although the ghazal is most prominently a form of Urdu poetry, today, it has influenced the poetry of many languages. Most Ghazal singers are trained in classical music and sing in either Khyal or Thumri. Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... Urdu poetry (Urdu: اردو شاعری, Urdu Shayari) is one of the most dominant and prominent poetries of times and has many different colours & types. ... Khyal is the modern genre of classical singing in North India; its name comes from an Arabic word meaning imagination. Like all Indian classical music, khyal is modal, with a single melodic line and no harmonic parts. ... Thumri is a common genre of semiclassical Indian music from the North. ...


Famous Composers and Performers

Faiz Ahmed Faiz (January 7, 1910 - 1984), is considered by many to be a poet in the great tradition of Urdu poets like Ghalib and Iqbal. ... Faraz ahmed junaidi is like a boy wonder. ... Makhdoom Mohiuddin (1908-1969) was a revolutionary Urdu poet and Marxist politician from Hyderabad, India. ... Amanat Ali (Urdu: امانت علی ) (Devanāgarī: अमानत अली) (born on 10 October 1988) was the winner of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Middle East - Pakistan Challenge 2007 and was recently a finalist on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 who achieved 3rd place in the competition attaining 3,34,314,257 votes... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ghulam Ali (Devanagari:ग़ुलाम अली, Nastaliq: غلام علی) (born 1940) is a famous Pakistani ghazal singer of the Patiala Gharana. ... Iqbal Bano is a ghazal singer from Pakistan and singer both classical and modern ghazals. ... Munni Begum (Devanagari:मुन्नी बेगम) Munni Begum is a Famous Ghazal Singer from Pakistan and now based in Chicago, IL, USA. Her real name is Nadira (Devanagari:नादिरा ) but she prefers to go by Munni Begum. ... Mehdi Hassan, TI, PP, HI (Urdu: مہدی حسن) affectionately called Khan Sahib and titled as Shahenshah-e-Ghazal (English: King of Ghazals) is a well-known Pakistani Ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood. ... Farida Khanum is renowned Pakistani Ghazal singer. ... Begum Abida Parveen (Urdu: عابدہ پروین), a Pakistani singer, is one of the foremost exponents of Sufi music. ... Malika Pukhraj (1912 - 2004) was a highly popular singer of Pakistan. ... Tahira Syed (Urdu: طاہرہ سيد) is a popular Ghazal singer of Pakistan. ...

Qawwali music

Main article: Qawwali

Qawwali (Urdu: قوٌالی) is the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis. Qawwali is a vibrant musical tradition that stretches back more than 700 years. Originally performed mainly at Sufi shrines throughout the subcontinent, it has also gained mainstream popularity. Qawwali music received international exposure through the work of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, largely due to several releases on the Real World label, followed by live appearances at WOMAD festivals. Listeners, and often artists themselves are transported to a state of wajad, a trance-like state where they feel at one with God, generally considered to be the height of spiritual ecstasy in Sufism. The roots of Qawwali can be traced back to 8th century Persia, however, Qawwali in the form we know it today was essentially created by Amir Khusrau in the late 13th century. Qawwali (Urdu: قوٌالی, Hindi: क़वाली) is the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis of the Indian Subcontinent. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... This article is about the Pakistani musician. ... World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) is a festival started in England in 1982. ... Ecstasy is called Wajad by Sufis: it is especially cultivated among the Chishtis. ... Sufism is a mystic tradition within Islam that encompasses a diverse range of beliefs and practices dedicated to Divine love and the cultivation of the elements of the Divine within the individual human being. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Abul Hasan Yaminuddin Khusrau (1253-1325 AD), better known as Amir Khusro Dehlavi, is one of Indias greatest poets. ...


During the first major migration from Persia, in the 11th century, the musical tradition of Sama migrated to South Asia, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Rumi and his Mevlana order of Sufism have been the propagators of Sama in Central Asia. Amir Khusrau of the Chisti order of Sufis is credited with fusing the Persian and South Asian musical traditions, to create Qawwali as well as the classical music tradition. The word "Sama" is used (or is the preferred name) in Central Asia and Turkey, for forms very similar to Qawwali while in Pakistan, the formal name used for a session of Qawwali is "Mehfil-e-Sama". Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) of the automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Rumi (born November 29, 1982) is a Persian-Canadian Singer-songwriter and a Photographer who is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi or Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi Rumi (also known as Mowlavi or Moulana, meaning my guide in Iran, Central and South Asia or Mevlana meaning our guide in Turkey) (September 30, 1207 - December 17, 1273 CE) was a Persian poet and Sufi mystic, who was... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... The Chishti Order was founded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami (the Syrian) (d. ... Tariqah ( transliteration: ; pl. ... Moosiqi Asil or Persian music is the traditional and indigenous music of Persia and Persian-speaking countries: musiqi, the science and art of music, and moosiqi, the sound and performance of music (Sakata 1983). ... Hindustani Classical Music is an Indian classical music tradition that took shape in northern India in the 13th and 14th centuries AD from existing religious, folk, and theatrical performance practices. ...


Instruments

The tabla (Hindi: तब्ला, tablā, Urdu: تبلہ) is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. ... The Dholak (sometimes dholaki) is a classical North Indian hand drum. ... A Harmonium is a free-standing musical keyboard instrument similar to a Reed Organ or Pipe Organ. ...

Qawwali Party

A group of qawwali musicians, called a party, typically consists of eight or nine men — women are, for all intents and purposes, excluded from traditional Muslim music as respectable women are traditionally prohibited from singing in the presence of men, though these traditions are changing — including a lead singer, one or two side singers, one or two harmoniums (which may be played by lead singer, side singer or someone else), and percussion. If there is only one percussionist, he plays the tabla and dholak, usually the tabla with the left hand and the dholak with the right. Often there will be two percussionists, in which case one might play the tabla and the other the dholak. There is also a chorus of four or five men who repeat key verses, and who aid and abet percussion by hand-clapping. The performers sit in two rows — the lead singer, side singers and harmonium players in the front row, and the chorus and percussionists in the back row. The tabla (Hindi: तब्ला, tablā, Urdu: تبلہ) is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. ... The Dholak (sometimes dholaki) is a classical North Indian hand drum. ...


Famous Composers and Performers

This article is about the Pakistani musician. ... Begum Abida Parveen (Urdu: عابدہ پروین), a Pakistani singer, is one of the foremost exponents of Sufi music. ... Bulleh Shah Bulleh Shah (1680 – 1757)(Punjabi: ), whose real name was Abdullah Shah, was a Punjabi Sufi poet and humanist. ... The Sabri Brothers (Urdu: صابری برادران) are a Qawwali party from Pakistan. ... Aziz Mian Qawwal (Urdu: عزیز میاں قوال) (April 17, 1942 – December 6, 2000) was one of Pakistans most famous Qawwals. ...

Folk music

Main article: Pakistani folk music

Pakistani folk music deals with subjects surrounding daily life in less grandiose terms than the love and emotion usually contained in its traditional and classical counterpart. In Pakistan, each province has its own variation of popular folk music.


Pakistan has created many famous singers in this discipline such as the late Alam lohar, who was very influential in the period of 1940 until 1979: he created the concept of jugni and this has been a folk song ever since, and he sang heer, sufiana kalaams, mirza, sassi and many more famous folk stories. He created the style of singing with the chimta and since his death Arif Lohar has carried on with his father's tradition alongside adopting his own unique style, such as the new acclaimed and successful album 21 Century Jugni.


Balochi

Main article: Music of Balochistan

Pashto

Main article: Music of NWFP

Punjabi

Main article: Music of Punjab (Pakistan)

Sindhi

Main article: Music of Sindh

Siraiki

Siraiki is spoken by 13.9 million people in southern Punjab and northern Sindh. It has its own culture and life style and most speakers of [Siraiki] love to listen to the Music in their native Language as would the speakers of any other language. Atta Ullah Essa Khelvi is one of the most famous name in promoting [Siraiki] Songs and Music. Essa Khelvi belongs to Essa Khail, a part of district [Mianwail] and originated his music from the city of Mianwali. Recent media developments have now brought more talent into the field of entertainment specially the channel The KOOK TV broadcasted locally has been a major contributor of Siraiki language into National Media. The Seraiki language is often considered the sweetest of all Pakistani languages. Other channels in same field includes Rohi TV and Waseeb TV, which are broadcasting in saraiki language.
Also, the great late Pathany Khan, who belonged to city of Multan, did considerable work in the field of Saraiki music. His songs such as Mera Ishq Vi Tu or Charakay de are still loved by masses and equally appreciated by other languages' speakers. Another star of this language is world renowned folk singer Reshmaan. She rendered some beautiful songs in her mother tongue, Saraiki, along with in Punjabi for which she gained more fame. Saraiki is an old language spoken in central Pakistan. ... This article is about the Pakistani province. ... Sindh (Sindhī: سنڌ, Urdū: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ...


Persian

Persian is spoken mainly in the North West of Pakistan but there are also considerable Persian speaking inhabitants in Pakistan's major urban centres of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. During and after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and subsequent arrival of millions of Afghan refugees to Pakistan, much of the Afghan (Dari/Persian) music industry was kept alive by performances and recordings made in Pakistan. After more than 20 years, Persian folk music has made considerable and often subtle contributions the overall Pakistani music industry. singers from Afghanistan regularly perform throughout Pakistan particularly at weddings and other formal functions.   (Sindhi: , Urdu: ) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ... For other places called Islamabad, see Islamabad (disambiguation). ... The Muhajir or Mohajir Afghans are the Afghan refugees that fled Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion in 1979. ...


Shinha

The predominant language found in Pakistan's Northern Areas has an extensive oral history which dates back several thousand years. With the increase in tourism to Pakistan's Northern Areas and increased domestic as well as international awareness of the local folk music, the Shinha folk traditions have managed to stay alive and vibrant.


Khowar

A dardic language with considerable Persian influence is found in Pakistan's Chitral region in the North West of the country. Khowar folk music had considerable patronage particularly during the rule of the Mehtars in the last century. Folk music in this region has remained relatively pure and unscathed by modern influences due to the relative isolation of this district. The arrival of many refugees from the adjacent Nuristan province of Afghanistan and the subsequent increase in commercial activity in Chitrali bazaars allowed this local form of music to flourish in the past few decades. Nurestan Province (also spelled Nuristan) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ...


Filmi music

Main articles: Cinema of Pakistan and Filmi

Pakistan's film industry known as "Lollywood" is based in Lahore. One of the most famous singers of the Pakistan film industry is Madame Noor Jehan (Malika-e-Tarranum). Noor Jehan had a brief and successful acting career before devoting herself completely to music. She sang extensively for Pakistani films and also sang Ghazals, folk songs and patriotic songs (milli naghmay) for Pakistan television. Lollywood (Urdu: لالیوڈ) refers to the Pakistani film industry, based in the city of Lahore. ... Timeline and Samples Genres Classical (Carnatic and Hindustani) - Folk - Rock - Pop - Hip hop Awards Bollywood Music Awards - Punjabi Music Awards Charts Festivals Sangeet Natak Akademi – Thyagaraja Aradhana – Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Media Sruti, The Music Magazine National anthem Jana Gana Mana, also national song Vande Mataram Music of the states Andaman... Lollywood refers to the Pakistani film industry, based in the city of Lahore. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ... Noor Jehan (Urdu: نور جہاں) (September 21, 1926 – December 23, 2000) was a famous Punjabi and Urdu singer and actress. ...


Until the 1960’s Pakistani film music enjoyed a robust period of creative activity with a great number of songs acquiring popularity across the sub-continent. The major music directors of this period (with the noted exception of Khawaja Khurshid Anwar) were mostly rababis. Some of the great names were: Ustad Inayat Hussain, G.A. Chishti, Rashid Attre, Ustad Tasadduq, Master Abdullah, Firoze Nizami, Tufail Farooqi and Ustad Nazar. Khursheed Anwar - Music Director of Parwaana A Brief Life Story He started his career as the Producer-in-charge of the music division of the All India Radio. ...


During the early 1960s Urdu film and music quality declined as the result of various factors. The dominance of trend-setting music directors who had experience of seasoned pre-partition artists declined and they were replaced by a new and younger generation who tapped the Punjabi film market. Most of Pakistani music or musicians is now played in Bollywood. Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal term popularly used for Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ...


East meets West

As the new century began, so did a new type of music in Pakistan, which has become popular not only in Pakistan, but also in many other parts of the world too such as UK, USA, Canada, Iran, Middle East and India. This new type of music had a rich blend of classical/folk with western sounds leading the music industry to rebuild and re-establish itself. The industry really began to pick up in late 2003, when media laws in Pakistan became more relaxed, and resulted in a mass explosion of private Pakistani television channels. While many "fusing" bands have produced genuine and equilibrium music, there are some who just managed to produce native language charbas (Pakistani slang for media meaning ripoff) of Western songs. Most old-school Pakistani music lovers deride this fusion as charbas and remain loyal to the classic ghazal and qawwalis. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Pop music

Main articles: History of Pakistani pop music and Pakistani pop music

Artists such as Nazia Hasan, Zoheb Hasan, Muhammad Ali Shehki, Alamgir and the Benjamin Sisters were pioneers of Pakistani pop music in the 1980s, but the real breakthrough for the music industry came with the hit song Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs (band) which gave birth to the current music scene in Pakistan. Dil Dil Pakistan was voted the 3rd most popular song in the world by a BBC poll. Some very popular Pakistani music acts include: Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Pakistan’s first music channel, INDUS MUSIC (“IM”), is a milestone proving that Pakistani music has a lot to offer. ... Nazia Hassan Nazia Hasan (April 3, 1965—August 13, 2000) was a Pakistani pop singer, who died of cancer. ... Muhammad Ali Shehki, is a Pakistani pop singer. ... Alamgir is a famous Pakistani pop singer of the 1970s, who is in fact the pioneer of the Urdu pop music in Pakistan. ... Dil Dil Pakistan (Urdu: دل دل پاکستان) is one of Pakistans most famous patriotic songs. ... Categories: Pakistani music | Stub ...

See List of Pakistani pop singers Abrar-ul-Haq (Urdu/Punjabi: ابرار الحق) (Abrar is also spelled as Ibrar) is a Pakistani pop, bhangra and folk singer. ... Adnan Sami Khan (born August 15, 1973) is a Pakistani singer, musician, pianist, actor and composer. ... </gallery> Ali Zafar (Urdu: علی ظفر) is a Pakistani singer, actor ,painter and model, known as the Prince of Pop. He is very-well known all around South Asia for his looks, his talent, his mesmerizing smile , his dazed eyes,magical voice and his hit songs like, Channo, Rangeen, Chal Dil Merey... Annie (Urdu: ﻋﻴﻨﻲ, born Noor–ul–Ain[1] in 1987) is a Pakistani pop singer. ... Atif Aslam (Urdu: عاطف اسلم) is a Pakistani pop singer. ... Ali Haider (Urdu: علی حیدر) is a Pakistani singer and actor. ... Faakhir Mehmood (Urdu: فاخر محمود) is a Pakistani singer and composer. ... Jal (Urdu and Persian: جل) (literally meaning water) is a Pakistani rock band founded by Goher Mumtaz. ... Junaid Jamshed is a famous Pakistani recording artist who came to the limelight as frontman of pop group Vital Signs in 1987 with the song Dil Dil Pakistan and remained a youth icon through the 1990s. ... Junoon (Urdu: جنون) (meaning obsession in Urdu and madness in Arabic) is one of Pakistan and South Asias most popular Rock bands, based out of Karachi, Pakistan, and formed in 1990 by guitarist/songwriter/medical doctor Salman Ahmad. ... Hadiqa Kiyani (Urdu: حدیقہ کیانی) (born August 11, 1974, Rawalpindi, Pakistan) is one of the most famous Pakistani female pop stars. ... Sajjad Ali - ( singer/director ) is one the most popular Pakistani pop singers with a totally different high pitch voice that adds in melody and blends in very well with his songs. ... Strings is a Pakistani pop band comprising two members, Bilal Maqsood (Urdu: بلال مقصود)and Faisal Kapadia (Urdu: فیصل کپاڈیا). Strings started with four college students (Bilal, Faisal,Rafiq and Kareem) in 1990, when they came out with a self-titled album. ... Categories: Pakistani music | Stub ... Pakistani pop singers: Were becoming very popular and started to spring up during the early nineties, with pop music and rock music becoming more fashionable with the younger generations. ...


Rock music

Main articles: Pakistani black metal, Pakistani rock, and Sufi rock

Rock music in Pakistan has become very popular not only in Pakistan but across South Asia. All these groups have millions of fans across the world including in other parts of South Asia. A landmark event occurred in 2003 when the Pakistani group Strings's song, Najane Kyun became a featured single on the Urdu Soundtrack for Spider-Man 2. Rock music has developed so much in Pakistan, that it already has two sub-genere's. The Pakistani band Junoon popularised a genre of music called Sufi rock (influenced from legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) that blended traditional Pakistani folk and Sufi music with western rock. Also Arif Lohar made a huge success with a rock folk album in 2006 called 21st century Jugni: this album was successful worldwide, and in India won 3 awards at the Alpha Punjabi Awards ceremony for best International punjabi vocalist and best remixed and best folk rock album. Pakistani black metal has just recently begun, with many underground bands in cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and even Peshawar. Popular Pakistani Rock Bands are: Pakistani rock music in has become very popular not only in Pakistan but across South Asia. ... The term Sufi rock describes the sound of famous Pakistani rock band Junoon. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... A song by Pakistani music group Strings. ... This article is about the 2004 film. ... Junoon (Urdu: جنون) (meaning obsession in Urdu and madness in Arabic) is one of Pakistan and South Asias most popular Rock bands, based out of Karachi, Pakistan, and formed in 1990 by guitarist/songwriter/medical doctor Salman Ahmad. ... The term Sufi rock describes the sound of famous Pakistani rock band Junoon. ... This article is about the Pakistani musician. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ...   (Sindhi: , Urdu: ) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ... For other places called Islamabad, see Islamabad (disambiguation). ...   (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ...

Underground Rock Scene in Lahore: There are number of Underground Bands in Lahore, some of them proved themselves to be a complete rock bands. EP, Call and Noori have been integral in revitalizing the rock culture in Pakistan, but many now feel that the future of rock music is in the hands of underground bands like Black Warrant, Paranoid, Kain, Lithium, Drainage, Cultural Jukebox, Genocide, Hypnotix-2000 and many more. Aaroh (literally means ascending in classical music) is a Pakistani rock band founded by Farooq Ahmed and Nabeel Nihal. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Fuzön is a Pakistani rock band comprising three members. ... Hes known to be the youngest grunge musician on the national music scene. ... Junoon (Urdu: جنون) (meaning obsession in Urdu and madness in Arabic) is one of Pakistan and South Asias most popular Rock bands, based out of Karachi, Pakistan, and formed in 1990 by guitarist/songwriter/medical doctor Salman Ahmad. ... Karavan is a Pakistani rock music band. ... Mekaal Hasan is a musician from Pakistan. ... Mizraab is a Progressive Metal band from Pakistan. ... Noori Noori (Urdu: نوری) is a Pakistani rock band. ... Jal (Urdu and Persian: جل) (literally meaning water) is a Pakistani rock band founded by Goher Mumtaz. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...


Moreover, Bands like Mizraab, have played a big role in promoting Metal Music in Pakistan. Headed by Faraz Anwar, this Band is probably the first Metal Band in Pakistan, with their Songs Meri Tarha and Insaan being the favorites of many Metal Fans. Moreover, the upcoming rock band Anesthezia has alot in the offering in their debut album SAKIA. Mizraab is a Progressive Metal band from Pakistan. ... Faraz Anwar (born 15th July, 1976) is a Pakistani Progressive Metal guitarist known for his solo instrumental work and his band Mizraab. ...


For all the information and video, audio and picture galleries of the Underground rock bands at Lahore visit:The Underground Act:Lahore


The West Connection

There are more than 10 million expatriates who live outside of Pakistan mainly in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia and many other countries. With this large population lots of musical talent has been produced, some of which is world recognized!


Hip Hop

Although hip hop and rap have not taken root in Pakistan, many musicians of Pakistani origin have begun to enter the hip hop industry. Some popular Pakistani hip-hop & rap artists includes: Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban African American youth in New York and has since spread around the world. ... Rap redirects here. ...

  • Nabeel aka DnaaR is a Punjabi rapper and young hip hop artist.

He is working on a completely new genre of music called DESI HIPHOP. Originally from Pakistan, he was 3 years old when he migrated to Saudi Arab with his family. Now, DnaaR is making music here due to his love for it.DnaaR's first single was big underground hit called A.W.A.R.A.He did collaboration with different artists such as PAKMAN and DESI-JI and now working on his album[www.myspace.com/dnaar]

  • Farhan Khan - An Islamabad based immensely talented rapper who raps in three languages inlcuding English, Urdu & Punjabi. Farhan's hit single "Kar De" has received great admiration from all over Pakistan and overseas Pakistanies. It received more than 50,000 downloads in a span of two months as it was available on all famous web ezines of Pakistani music including PMR, PMX, J4Jumpy, Paksound, Apniisp etc etc. A blend of Punjabi and English, "Kar De" makes you dance even unintentionally. He's working on an album at Studio 051 where Asad Kamal is producing his debut Hip Hop Album. His upcoming singles include "Party Starters", "Can You Hear Us", "Ali Maula" etc etc [wwww.soundclick.com] [www.farhan-khan.net]
  • Desi Ji - The King Of Desi Rap the Creator of Desi Rap From Germany Website
  • DJ Aphlatoon - A DJ based in New York City, has produced two hip hop Pakistani remixed albums.
  • 8T2 - This Pakistani MC is making waves all across the UK [1]
  • Aky - Hip Hop Artist from London, Uk
  • Bohemia - Roger David (Raja da Punjabi Rapper)
  • THE PAK The Original PAKMAN"Da Desi Rapper"®™ PAKMAN From Los angeles/Punjab. PAK

Website DJ Aphlatoon (real name Azhar) is known as the first Pakistani Remix Producer. ... Bohemia (or Bohemia the Punjabi Rapper) is a Punjabi Indian American rapper who performs in Punjabi. ...

  • Mr. Capone-E - Website
  • Faz MC - Hip Hop Artist from Australia
  • Jihad - Rapper from Cerritos, California. Beat Jin in a 2002 freestyle battle Website
  • Kostal - Urdu R&B artist from Sugar Land, Texas Website
  • Lazarus - Kamran Rasheed Khan from Detroit, Michigan Website
  • RZK - Hip Hop Artist from Australia
  • ShahRick - Produces and Hip Hops in French, from Geneva, Switzerland Website
  • Sir Aah - Website
  • Waqas Ali Qadri - A member of Outlandish; the fastest Urdu rapper in the world from Copenhagen, Denmark Website
  • PakArmz - New recent Hip Hop artist hailing from Queens, New York Website
  • Metz & Trix - Website (From Manchester, UK, their first album Danger (album) was an international mega-success, and was produced by RDB).

Mr. ... Jin may refer to: In Chinese history: Jin (廑), a ruler of the Xia dynasty (2033 BC–1562 BC) Jin (state) (746 BC-403 BC) (晉), a state in northern China during the Spring and Autumn Period Jin Dynasty, used to refer to a number of Chinese dynastic kingdoms: Jìn Dynasty... Outlandish is a multi-award winning hip-hop group based in Denmark. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ...

UK Bhangra

The UK Asian music scene is full of talent and the most popular is often referred to as UK Bhangra, is a rich blend of Punjabi sounds with western beats such as hip hop and techno; some popular UK Bhangra artists include: The term British Asian is used to denote a person of South Asian ancestry or origin, who was born in or was an immigrant to the United Kingdom, former heartland of the British Empire. ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban African American youth in New York and has since spread around the world. ... For the comic book character previously known as Techno, see Fixer (comics). ...

  • 8T2 - This Pakistani MC is making waves all across the UK [2]
  • Riz Ahmed - Rizwan Ahmed, also known as Riz Ahmed or MC Riz, is an MC and British Actor

8 [[Omar Khan}} - Omar Khan is a British born MC/Producer, who formed a peace group called World Riderz Rizwan Ahmed, also known as Riz Ahmed or MC Riz, is an MC and actor. ...

  • Khiza - Owner of Khiza Records from Birmingham, England Website
  • Legacy - Tariq Khan from Manchester, England - Website
  • Notorious Jatt - Website
  • Bona Fide - Maz & Ziggy from Manchester, England Website
  • Angrez Ali - UK Pakistani vocalist from Coventry
  • DJ Vix aka DJ Vips - Famous DJ from London, UK [3]
  • Gupsy Aujla - UK Sikh DJ from Bradford
  • Aman Hayer - DJ and Producer from Coventry
  • Hunterz - Producers of the "Streets of Bollywood" 1 & 2
  • Jinx - Successful Producers and DJs from the Midlands
  • Kray Twinz - Desi, Bhangra and Grime/Garage Producers, produced for Lethal Bizzle, Twista and Gappy Ranks
  • Northern Lights - Producer Duo from Glasgow
  • Tanveer Gogi - Punjabi Vocalist from Glasgow

There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

Pop, Rock & R&B

Pop & Rock music hadn't seen many Pakistani artists until of late. Some popular Pakistani pop & rock artists include:

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... For other uses, see Pop rock (disambiguation). ... Location of Perth within Australia This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ... Glenn Keith Bidmead (born February 3, 1962) is a Sydney, Australia based singer, songwriter, guitarist, performer, record producer and sound engineer. ... Daniel Jones (born July 22, 1973 in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England) is a musician, songwriter, and record producer. ... For the eponymous debut album, see Savage Garden (album). ... A music video (also video clip, promo) is a short film or video meant to present a visual representation of a popular music song. ... For the cricketer from the West Indies, see Imran Khan (Trinidad and Tobago cricketer). ... Deeyah (born Deepika Thathaal) (born August 7, 1977 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian singer, composer and human rights activist of Pakistani Pashtun descent. ... JoSH is a Montreal-based Indian/Pakistani fusion band. ... Nadia Ali (b. ... Ilo may refer to: Ilo, a port in southern Peru Ilo, an artist on the Icelandic Bad Taste record label Ilo, the Estonian goddess of feasts This is a disambiguation page — a navigational ai