Introduction
It is bhangra which makes Punjabi songs so popular. Bhangra, a genre of Punjabi music is loved by westerners too. It was made popular in Britain by the first and second generation of immigrants from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Today, bhangra music exists in different forms and styles all over the globe.
Step 1
- The 1980s were knows as the golden age of bhangra music and lasted roughly from 1985 to 1993. The primary emphasis during these times was on the melody and the beat and the musician/composer received as much fanfare, if not more, than the singers. Authentic fold instruments were rarely used in these Punjabi songs because it was agreed that the music was independent of the instruments being used.
- Bands that established the craze for Punjabi songs included 'Alaap', which through an album released in 1982 titled 'Teri Chunni de Sitaray' managed to attract the attention of many Asian students in the U.K. 'Heera', which combined the traditional Punjabi drums with British instruments, Sahotas, Golden Star UK etc. also became a rage.
- These bands used elements from alternative rock to draw the youth to Punjabi songs and affirm their identities positively within the broader element of rock in an era when discrimination against the Punjabis was abundant in Britain.
- It was interesting to see the emergence of Punjabi songs in the form of Bhangra. The bands names, images, album covers and logos of producers etc. were represented through clever graphics and much emphasis was given to details.
- The 1990s saw Punjabi songs getting popular even among other communities other than Punjabis. A number of bands worked hard to let other people know of their culture and the changes in music that were taking place within it. Though a lot of them did think it was better to focus on the community and play Punjabi songs at weddings and events organized by and for Asians.
- In the middle of the 1990s, Punjabi songs again underwent a change, as artists started to turn to traditional instruments and beats again. They incorporated the sounds of Punjabi instruments such as the dhol and the tumbi. At the same time, a lot of bands began to play Punjabi folk music combined with hiphop elements as an answer to Bhangra artists who had initially done away with traditional influences. Artists in this genre included Surinder Shinda, Harbhajan Mann, Hans Raj Hans, Paaras, Bombay Talkie etc.
- Remixes of folk songs form a major chunk of Punjabi songs that are popular today. This generally means that well-known Punjabi folk songs are sung again in the studio, with old or new lyrics added and the music is done again, to suit the musical taste of a newer generation.
Conclusion
One cannot talk about remixed Punjabi songs without mentioning Daler Mehndi, who has become popular not only in Punjab, but all over India. His songs 'Bolo Ta Ra Ra', 'Ho Jayegee Balle Balle' and 'Tunak Tunak' were all a big rage when they were released. Bally Sagoo is another artist who did very well in Punjabi folk-hop, a combination of Punjabi folk songs and hiphop.
