The sudden and unexpected downfall of music in the first decade of the 21 century can be attributed to two factors: there was either a lack of talent and opportunity given to the musicians, or a dramatic shift in tastes pertaining to music.
In the past, Pakistan has produced some of the greatest names in the music industry who have also received fame at international platforms. Music has always been an integral part of our mainstream culture, and to say that the country lacks talent is to mar the wondrous legacies of singers past.
Facts, however, still continued to show that the number of record sales, number of concerts, number of new singers coming in – all were in decline. This was perhaps due to a combination of small factors that jointly caused a major impact. Piracy and leaks became common, causing the hype to go down before the official release of a song. In addition, with the political situation in the country deteriorating, public concerts became a thing of the past. Incidents of gatecrashing and sexual harassment at concerts rose to headlines and prevented them from being a major source of revenue. Problems with the security situation still exist of course – the recent and tragic assassination of legendary AmjadSabri has left a void in our hearts that will forever remain a testament to this.
Some people have argued that an increase in popularity of TV shows contributed to this downfall in the music industry, evidence for which remains thin.
Then came along Coke Studio – a breath of fresh air amidst an industry in smoke and ashes! The ingenious idea of collaboration between established singers and budding artists launched the mainstream careers of now notable singers such as QuratulainBaloch, Zoe Viccaji, Jaswal brothers, AkhtarChanal, MeeshaShafi, Gul Panrra and Sara Haider, to name a few.
It also brought folk songs to the limelight, like DanahpeDanah, BibiSanamJanam and Jugni, among many others. For this reason, it won’t be a stretch to say that Coke Studio even helped bridge various ethnic barriers. With Punjabis singing along to ZaSta Pasha Mayam by Naseer and Shahab, and Pashtuns singing along to Washmallay by AkhtarChannalZahri, a common ground was found in a country with a huge cultural divide.
Coke Studio had something in it for everyone. A classical qawwali merged with a modern drumbeat would appeal to all age groups.
Coke Studio has become a popular name not just among Pakistanis but also internationally.
With Season 9 just around the corner, and news of names from the golden days, like ShujaHaider, Faakhir and Noori, coming in with still others as multi-director ensemble working under Strings as executive producers, it is almost impossible to hold back the excitement.
As all seasons have before, it is no doubt that Season 9 too will bring passion, nostalgia and solidarity all in one, and take us back to the golden days. Not only does the artist line up show national icons such as AbdiaParveen, RahatFateh Ali and SaieenZahoor performing, it also contains the name of AmjadSabri who recorded his last ever kalam with Coke Studio, giving us one last opportunity to be inspired by his voice.
