Grammy beyond borders: Pakistani artists redefine global music

ISLAMABAD: The international benchmark for Pakistani music was redefined in 2022 when Arooj Aftab became the first Pakistani artist to win a Grammy Award. The victory was the culmination of decades of musical excellence, built on the foundations of legendary Pakistani figures like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, and Nazia Hassan. Modern music shows like Coke Studio Pakistan, making headlines since 2008, also contributed to the feat.

Hashir Irshad on Instagram praised

Today, the international recognition of Pakistani music scene is even stronger than before. Pakistani artists -- from the celebrated singer Atif Aslam to contemporary stars like Hasan Raheem – are commanding sold-out shows in the US and the UK. They engage in cross-border collaborations and influence the global music landscape with a raw, authentic sound that cannot be replicated.

The Grammy effect: Two historic wins and continued contention

The Grammy Awards serve as the definitive benchmark for global critical recognition. While Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s legacy earned him posthumous nominations in the 1990s, the current era has delivered two more historic wins:

First, Arooj Aftab’s 2022 victory for Best Global Music Performance for her song "Mohabbat" made her the first Pakistani to win a Grammy. Her impact was immediately apparent, as she was also nominated in one of the prestigious "Big Four" categories, Best New Artist, that same year.

In a post on X, Ammar Rashid appreciated Arooj by saying: ‘Arooj was a mainstay of the local indie scene during our college days in Lahore (the pre-terrorism years). She's someone who paid her dues & kept refining her meticulous craft over these years. So great to see her music get globally recognized.’

The second historic win quietly came in 2024, when Karachi-born sound engineer Taurees Habib secured a Grammy for his technical work on the Dune: Part Two soundtrack. Habib’s excellence in the technical field helped him become the second Pakistani to win this prestigious award

APP mentioned on X: ‘Taurees Habib, the first Pakistani to clinch a Grammy for sound engineering, quietly made history earlier this year though the milestone went largely unnoticed at the time.

#TaureesHabibGrammy #PakistaniGrammyWinner #PakistanMusicIndustry #GrammyForPakistan #AwardWinningTalent’

The 2026 submissions: A wave of independent excellence

The submissions for the upcoming 68th Annual Grammy Awards (February 1, 2026) demonstrate the current creative depth of the Pakistani scene.

Meesha Shafi has entered her most recent, critically acclaimed album, Khilnay Ko, for categories including Best Global Music Album and Best Engineered Album. This genre-defying alternative/electronic album, which blends Urdu and English, embodies the rise of an independent, contemporary music movement, thriving outside the traditional constraints of commercial cinema.

Meesha Shafi posted on her official instagram: For Your GRAMMY® Consideration

“Khilnay Ko”

It has been a privilege to be considered along with so much exceptional musical talent from around the world

Voting closes tomorrow and I would like to thank everyone who sat with this record and/or voted for it. Thank you for lending an ear and your valuable time.

Much love and light to all my peers

@recordingacademy

#FYC

#ForYourGRAMMY®Consideration

#KhilnayKo’

Ali Sethi, known globally for "Pasoori," is featured on Chinese-American composer Du Yun's international collaborative album, Where We Lost Our Shadows. Sethi’s role in this project, which is up for multiple awards including Best Contemporary Classical Composition, showcases his versatility beyond his commercial hits.

The continued artistic quality of the nation's most famous music platform is also in the running: Producer Xulfi (Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan), the creative force behind Coke Studio Season 15, has submitted tracks like "Aayi aayi" and "Blockbuster" for Best Global Music Performance, ensuring the platform maintains its strong global presence.

Global Impact: Viral phenomena and the digital breakthrough

The success at the Grammys is supported by a massive, tangible international audience, often first reached through viral digital phenomena.

The unparalleled global virality of Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s "Pasoori" in 2022 cemented this breakthrough. It became the first Pakistani song to hit Spotify’s Global Viral chart and amassed over a billion views, becoming a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

This mass popularity translated into mainstream Western recognition with performances by both Ali Sethi and Arooj Aftab at Coachella in 2022. Adding significant Western credibility, Arooj Aftab’s "Mohabbat" was also famously featured on former US President Barack Obama’s "Summer Favorites" playlist. 

These milestones - from dominating global viral charts to commanding the Coachella stage and earning White House recognition - reinforce that Pakistani music has fundamentally transitioned from a regional export to a dominant force in the global music industry. Pakistani artists continue to outperform expectations with their experimental records and a continuous, passionate drive to fuse diverse musical traditions. Far from being a fleeting trend, this represents a sustained cultural ascendancy, signaling that the nation's contemporary sound is now an essential, evolving chapter in the global music story.