Music that defined 2022

This year will be remembered as one which not only brought global attention to Pakistani music but also led to the discovery of some amazing musical artistes

As the year draws to a close, the urge to debate about the past, present and future is inescapable. In light of the eventful year that the Pakistan music industry had in 2022, we decided to take a glance back at some of the musical moments which defined the year. From an array of album releases, to a rejuvenated Coke Studio, to Pakistan triumphing at the Grammys, here are a handful of the moments which left an impression on fans of Pakistan’s music scene.

Coke Studio like never before

Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s song Pasoori, performed for this year’s Coke Studio, was undeniably the biggest winner of the year on the music front. Pasoori has been heard almost 201 million times on Spotify, and its video has been watched over 463 million times on YouTube. The song dominated Spotify charts throughout the year and brought global attention to Season 14 of Coke Studion. Aside from Pasoori, Coke Studio also gave us hit melodies like Wahab Bugti, Kaifi Khalili and Eva B’s Kana Yaari, Justin Bibis, Hasan Raheem and Talal Qureshi’s Peechay Hutt, and Phir Milenge by the amazing Faisal Kapadia and Young Stunners. The latter was the 13^th and final song of Coke Studio Season 14, making it the second song Young Stunners (Talha Anjum and Talha Yunus) performed for Season 14 and also marking Faisal Kapadia’s first single since Strings parted ways.

Arooj Aftab wins a Grammy

Arooj Aftab, a Pakistani singer based in Brooklyn, won her first Grammy in the category Best Global Performance for her song Mohabbat. She is now the first musician from Pakistan to lift the coveted award and rightfully received plaudits given just how impressive this feat was given the caliber of artists she was competing against. The 37 year-old, who has spent about 15 years living in New York, has been progressively earning recognition on a global scale for her work, which combines ancient Sufi traditions with some elements of jazz, folk music and minimalism.

Pakistan shines on Spotify and at Times Square 

As mentioned earlier, Paksitani artists put up impressive number on Spotify this year, with many popular names from the Pakistani music industry dominating the end-of-the-year Spotify charts. In light of the growing global appeal of the music Pakistan is producing and has produced, Spotify displayed pictures of popular Pakistani musicians in New York’s Times Square as part of Spotify’s “Equal Pakistan” initiative. The campaign featured the likes of Natasha Baig, Hadiqa Kiani, Hasan Raheem, Nazia Hassan, Mehak Ali, Natasha Noorani and Arooj Aftab. This helped serve as a signal that Pakistan’s music has now come of age and has something to offer for everyone.

Hadiqa Kiani releases new music

Hadiqa Kiani, a musician-turned-actor, may have made her acting debut this year with Raqeeb Se, but that doesn’t mean she’s done with music. The Boohe Bariyan singer released music from her latest album Vasl this year, and it showcased her unparalelled versatility. Songs like Humsafar, Rasta Bhool Gaye and Woh Kon Hay became instant hits with listeners, and many remarked on just how soulful and emotive her voice and music has remained over the years. Despite the crop of new voices that emerged during 2022, Kiani proved that she is still at the top of her game.

Bilal Maqsood goes solo

Strings may have said goodbye, but Bilal Maqsood’s musical career is far from over. The singer, guitarist and pianist released his singles Naya Naya and Zalima in 2022, each accompanied by their own beautifully shot music videos. The video of his first solo was shot in Turkey, and the music gives listeners a taste of what they can expect from Maqsood in the future. While for many Maqsood will forever be associated with Strings, he is now starting to make a name for himself as an independent musical artist.

Faris Shafi and Raftaar join forces

Fans loved Faris Shafi’s collaboration with Indian rapper Raftaar for Jashan-e-Hiphop because it sounded fresh and inventive. Every line was sassy and quirky, and the fast rapping and soothing sounds blended together wonderfully. As usual, Shafi’s lyrics have his unique creative flair, making them enjoyable to both listen to and dissect. While South Asia certainly boasts many rap artists now, Shafi has definitely carved a niche for himself in the rap circuit.

Asim Azhar celebrates nine years in the music industry

There’s nothing a fandom can’t achieve when they put their hearts into it, and musician Asim Azhar’s followers were determined to make the artist viral on Twitter, just in time for his ninth year in the music industry. The musician has come a long way over the years, continuously serenading audiences and steadily growing his small army of Asimates. From chart-toppers like Jo Tu Na Mila and Ghalat Fehmi to more recent songs like Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, Azhar has cemented his place in the music industry.

OSTs that made us swoon

Mere Humsafar, starring Hania Aamir and Farhan Saeed, got a lot of recognition not only due to its heartfelt storyline but also because of its popular title track. The original soundtrack (OST) by Farhan Saeed and Yashal Shahid was a hit amongst all drama lovers. Other well received OSTs this year were Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Saher Gul Khan, followed by Hum Tum and Sang-e-Mah.