Fusion music, remixed classics, and crossovers have gained immense popularity and great response internationally. Punjabi music has continued to grow in popularity among global listeners, and there are now several emerging Punjabi artists across the UK, the U.S., and Canada. From household names to global stars, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Diljit Dosanjh, Guru Randhawa, Hard Kaur, B Praak, Jassie Gill, Garry Sandhu, and Jasmine Sandlas, among many others, defined this decade. By the end of the decade, a reported 20 songs were written, composed, recorded, and released, every day. The 2010s saw the true globalization of Punjabi Pop, taking the Indian music industry into overdrive.

The original track, produced in the late ’90s, shot to global fame when it caught Jay-Z’s eye and was later re-released as a remixed single in 2003. The global contribution of Punjabi Pop is exemplified in the mash-up of “ Mundian To Bach Ke ” by Panjabi MC featuring Jay-Z. These years saw the rise of Punjabi Pop artists Jay Sean, Dr Zeus, Miss Pooja, Panjabi MC, Juggy D, Jazzy B, and more. Then, in the 2000s, the genre’s talent truly took center stage. It was in the 1990s that Punjabi Pop garnered mainstream prominence as iconic artists like Daler Mehndi, Gurdas Maan, Bally Sagoo, and Malkit Singh ruled music charts, producing singles and albums that have gained cult status today. In fact, by 2018, it was almost five times the size of India’s Telugu music industry, the second-largest in the country’s regional music market. It has since grown from classical folk Punjabi songs, where poets and singers composed ballads, to a multi-million dollar industry. The essence of Punjabi Pop can be traced back to its humble beginnings as an independent genre in the late 1950s.

From swagger-filled lyrics and globally-inspired sound production, to banging beats and mega-budget music videos, Punjabi Pop has grown into a larger-than-life celebration of cultural moments that is driving a whole new generation of fans and artists. From the pind (village) to pan-India, and from there the world, Punjabi music has seen a meteoric rise, capturing the imagination-and dance moves-of millions.

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