Daily Times

On the occasion of Pakistan’s 76th Independence Day festivities, the music streaming service Spotify announced that it would recognise the famous vocalist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan by releasing an updated version of a playlist in his honour.

According to a statement released on Friday, a fitting tribute will be paid in the form of an improved and updated version of the playlist “This is Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,” which will feature some of his timeless hits that are still being mixed with contemporary genres to produce breath-taking compositions for audiences to enjoy.

“Even after more than two decades of his passing, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan continues to feature as one of Pakistan’s top streamed artists globally,” the press release stated.

“As per Spotify’s data, he is ranked as the 4th most streamed Pakistani artist on the platform this year, with his tracks inspiring generation after generation of listeners and singers alike. Songs like ‘Yeh Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hae’, ‘Afreen Afreen’, ‘Mustt Mustt’ and ‘The Long Road’ that features Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Veddor are some of his most listened tracks, along with his work with international producer Peter Gabriel.”

According to Spotify, the fact that Khan’s original songs are still being covered and recreated today indicates the magnitude of his influence on a wide range of musical works.

Modern renditions include ‘Lut Gaye’, ‘Mere Rashke Qamar’, ‘Kali Kali Zulfon Ke’, ‘Mere Baad Kisko Sataoge’ and ‘Dekhte Dekhte’ were the top five most streamed remakes inspired by the original Khan tracks.

The statement added, “Data from Spotify shows that the trend of keeping Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s legacy alive continues to be driven by the youth.” A sizable 37% of his listeners are between the ages of 18 and 22.

The music company also said that a tribute video featuring a host of modern artists would be released on August 14 where they would talk about how Khan and his tracks influenced their musical journey.