A new online music streaming service called Patari is trying to do for Pakistani music what Spotify did for American music and Saavn and Gaana did to Indian music: bring it to a wider audience.
In Pakistan, which banned access to YouTube in 2012, the service has an extra edge. It will allow Pakistanis to tap a vast reserve of their own music, a lot of which is available on the online video-sharing website and therefore accessible to the world but that they themselves cannot listen to.
A test version of the service with about 1.5 lakh songs was launched in January, and was given an enthusiastic response from the initial group of 1,000 Pakistani listeners invited to offer comments, going by the buzz on Twitter.
“The journey towards Patari is littered with blood, sweat, tears and failure,” said Karachi-based Khalid Bajwa, one of the co-founders, in an email interview. “We were originally trying to do a Hulu for Pakistan, a portal for the country’s [TV] drama serials. We hit a few roadblocks and got frustrated, and decided to give music a shot instead. Six months later, here we are, readying for the launch and happy that we pivoted from drama serials.” Hulu is a US-based online streaming service for television shows.
Bajwa said that the team that made the app consists of eight people from various backgrounds, from those who curate content to engineers. “Their varied taste in music and expertise, combined with a breathtaking passion for Pakistani music, is phenomenal,” he said. The average time spent on the site [by the 1,000 invitees] was almost 25 minutes, compared with the industry average of a few minutes.
The site will give those outside Pakistan a taste of the depth and breadth of the country's music. There is much more to Pakistani music than popular imports such as Ali Zafar and MTV's fusion music show Coke Studio, Bajwa said. Ali Zafar is a popular singer from Pakistan who has lent his voice to as well as acted in Hindi movies after performing on Coke Studio. “The variety in our music is staggering: from rock to funk to qawwali and indie, but there are few platforms that pull them all together comprehensively in a user-friendly format,” Bajwa said.
The service's developers have not yet decided their financial model as they are still scaling up to a full launch. Similar services, such as Spotify and Gaana, however, allow users to stream songs for free, but allow only those with subscriptions to download music.
Here are a few music recommendations from Pakistan curated by the Patari team that you can enjoy on YouTube while waiting for the service’s launch:
1. Janan Janaan by Vital Signs
This is a song from Vital Signs' 1995 album Hum Tum, which is a favourite among the band's fans even now. It was the band's highest-selling album, as it combined some of its characteristic romantic melodies with darker ones.
2. Battakhain by Shajie
Indie band Shajie is fast gaining popularity outside Pakistan. This song has found admirers for its unique melody and lyrics.
3. Chup by Zeb and Haniya
The duo Zeb and Haniya, from the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, are recognised as one of the most original and quirky singer-songwriters to come out of the Indian subcontinent. Their debut album, Chup, received rave reviews. Their renditions of songs from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan have all been well received by critics and fans alike. Here is their debut album's eponymous cover song, when they sang it at Coke Studio Pakistan.
4. Ishq Aap Bhe Awalla by Chakwal Group and Meesha Shafi
This song is hugely popular in Pakistan and outside, soulful and catchy, appealing to both connoisseur and layperson.
5. Jaago by Jazba
This is an old track evoking Pakistani nationalist sentiments, but Indian listeners will also enjoy its splendid lyrics and music.
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In Pakistan, which banned access to YouTube in 2012, the service has an extra edge. It will allow Pakistanis to tap a vast reserve of their own music, a lot of which is available on the online video-sharing website and therefore accessible to the world but that they themselves cannot listen to.
A test version of the service with about 1.5 lakh songs was launched in January, and was given an enthusiastic response from the initial group of 1,000 Pakistani listeners invited to offer comments, going by the buzz on Twitter.
“The journey towards Patari is littered with blood, sweat, tears and failure,” said Karachi-based Khalid Bajwa, one of the co-founders, in an email interview. “We were originally trying to do a Hulu for Pakistan, a portal for the country’s [TV] drama serials. We hit a few roadblocks and got frustrated, and decided to give music a shot instead. Six months later, here we are, readying for the launch and happy that we pivoted from drama serials.” Hulu is a US-based online streaming service for television shows.
Bajwa said that the team that made the app consists of eight people from various backgrounds, from those who curate content to engineers. “Their varied taste in music and expertise, combined with a breathtaking passion for Pakistani music, is phenomenal,” he said. The average time spent on the site [by the 1,000 invitees] was almost 25 minutes, compared with the industry average of a few minutes.
The site will give those outside Pakistan a taste of the depth and breadth of the country's music. There is much more to Pakistani music than popular imports such as Ali Zafar and MTV's fusion music show Coke Studio, Bajwa said. Ali Zafar is a popular singer from Pakistan who has lent his voice to as well as acted in Hindi movies after performing on Coke Studio. “The variety in our music is staggering: from rock to funk to qawwali and indie, but there are few platforms that pull them all together comprehensively in a user-friendly format,” Bajwa said.
The service's developers have not yet decided their financial model as they are still scaling up to a full launch. Similar services, such as Spotify and Gaana, however, allow users to stream songs for free, but allow only those with subscriptions to download music.
Here are a few music recommendations from Pakistan curated by the Patari team that you can enjoy on YouTube while waiting for the service’s launch:
1. Janan Janaan by Vital Signs
This is a song from Vital Signs' 1995 album Hum Tum, which is a favourite among the band's fans even now. It was the band's highest-selling album, as it combined some of its characteristic romantic melodies with darker ones.
2. Battakhain by Shajie
Indie band Shajie is fast gaining popularity outside Pakistan. This song has found admirers for its unique melody and lyrics.
3. Chup by Zeb and Haniya
The duo Zeb and Haniya, from the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, are recognised as one of the most original and quirky singer-songwriters to come out of the Indian subcontinent. Their debut album, Chup, received rave reviews. Their renditions of songs from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan have all been well received by critics and fans alike. Here is their debut album's eponymous cover song, when they sang it at Coke Studio Pakistan.
4. Ishq Aap Bhe Awalla by Chakwal Group and Meesha Shafi
This song is hugely popular in Pakistan and outside, soulful and catchy, appealing to both connoisseur and layperson.
5. Jaago by Jazba
This is an old track evoking Pakistani nationalist sentiments, but Indian listeners will also enjoy its splendid lyrics and music.
