Music of Punjab reflects the traditions of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, associated with Punjabi language. Punjab is currently divided into two parts: East Punjab, in India, and West Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan. The Punjab has diverse styles of music, ranging from folk and Sufi to classical, notably the Patiala gharana. Contemporary Punjabi music has tended to include more modern hip-hop and R&B sounds. While this style of music is obviously most popular in Punjab, it has seen popularity across the subcontinent and areas with large Punjabi diaspora populations, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Sikh music, also known as Gurbani Sangeet , and as Gurmat Sangeet, or even as Shabad Kirtan, is the classical music style that is practised within Sikhism. It exists in institutional, popular, and folk traditions, forms, and varieties. Three types of Sikh musicians are rababis, ragis, and dhadhis. Sikh music exists in various melodic modes, musical forms, styles, musicians, and performance contexts.
Surinder Kaur was an Indian singer and songwriter. While she mainly sang Punjabi folk songs, where she is credited for pioneering and popularising the genre, Kaur also recorded songs as a playback singer for Hindi films between 1948 and 1952. For her contributions to Punjabi music, she earned the sobriquet Nightingale of Punjab, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984, and the Padma Shri in 2006.
Raga Asa is peculiar raga of Gurmat Sangeet Tradition. It is not being used in Indian music. There is a raga 'Majh Khamaj' in Hindustani Sangeet, but it does not resemble Asa of Gurmat Sangeet. Gurmat Sangeet is a musicology of Sikh Sacred Music, used in the Sikh holy scripture the Guru Granth Sahib. The ragas used by Sikh Gurus for Gurbani are known as Gurmat Sangeet. It is popular in the Sikh tradition from northern India and is part of daily prayers being conducted in Sikh Gurdwaras. Every raga has a strict set of rules which govern the number of notes that can be used; which notes can be used; and their interplay that has to be adhered to for the composition of a tune.
Asa Singh Mastana was a Punjabi musician and singer best known for lending his voice to the bollywood movie dooj ka chand and singing jugni and Heer-genre of folk songs, which recount the tales of Heer Ranjha by poet Waris Shah. He became popular in the 1940s, by the mid-1960s, when state-run All India Radio started promoting folk musicians, this made him, along with Surinder Kaur, Pushpa Hans, Madan Bala Sidhu, Prakash Kaur, singers of cult status.
Bakshi Mohinder Singh Sarna, known professionally as S. Mohinder, was an Indian music composer.
Paramjit Singh Sidhu, professionally known as Pami Bai, is an Indian singer, songwriter and Bhangra dancer from Patiala.
Didar Sandhu was a noted Punjabi folk singer and songwriter from Punjab, India. He used to tie a turban on stage. He mostly sang duets with various noted Punjabi singers like Surinder Kaur and Amar Noorie.
A Ragi is a Sikh musician who plays hymns (shabads) in different ragas as prescribed in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Jaswinder Brar is an Indian folk singer who sings in Punjabi language. She sings Punjabi folk and Bhangra and known as the Folk Queen. She is known for her stage shows and is called Akharheya Di Rani. She is specially known for her Lok Tatths. She started her career with the album named "Keemti Cheez" in 1990.
Dhadi, also spelled as Dhadhi, is one who sings ballads using Dhadd and Sarangi, the folk instruments of Punjab. According to Kahn Singh Nabha's Mahan Kosh the definition of dhadhi is "One who sings ballads of warriors playing Dhadd". Dhadis are a distinct group performers emerged in the time of Sikh gurus.
Gurmeet Bawa was an Indian Punjabi language folk singer. She was known as Lambi hek di malika for her long hek that she could hold for about 45 seconds. She was the first Punjabi female singer to sing on Indian public service broadcaster, Doordarshan. She was awarded Padma Bhushan by Indian government in 2022.
Karnail Gill was a Punjabi folk singer of Punjab. He is best known for his duets with Narinder Biba, Surinder Kaur, Jagmohan Kaur, Mohni Narula, Swaran Lata, Ranjit Kaur, Kumari Veena, Kuldip Kaur, Gulshan Komal, Priti Bala, Usha Kiran, Harneet Neetu, Sukhwant Sukhi, Suchet Bala, Sarbjit Cheema, Rakhi Hundal, Navdeep Kaur and many more.
Rababi is a term used to refer to a player of the rabab instrument.
Prakash Kaur is a veteran Indian singer.
Atul Sharma is a multiple-award-winning music composer, producer, sitarist, singer and judge on the popular TV show "Voice of Punjab". He is known for being one of the pioneers of Bhangra and Punjabi pop/folk music, and has composed music for over 5000 music albums and many Punjabi and Hindi films. He has given many global hits like "Yaar Bolda", "Dupatta Tera Satt Rang Da", "Mukhda Dekh ke", "Jatti", "Mitraan Da Naa Chalda" etc. He has also composed and designed music for various theatre productions and has worked with eminent directors and play writes. Based out of Chandigarh, he has been one of the foremost contributors in setting up the Punjabi music industry, and the emergence of recording studios in North India.
Asees Kaur is an Indian singer. She has participated in various singing reality shows including Indian Idol and Awaz Punjab Di. In 2021, her song "Raatan Lambiyan" from Shershaah, with Tanishk Bagchi, became a huge hit. She has won many awards including 2 Filmfare Awards and an IIFA Award.
Bhai Baldeep Singh is a Ragi known for his Shabad Kirtan.He is a researcher and revivalist for conventional string instruments like Dhrupadi Rabab, Saranda, Tambura (Tanpura), Dilruba used for Sikh music since Guru's Times. He is an accomplished Pakhawaj Mridang Jori player. He is the founder and chairman of Anad Foundation organisation dedicated to Sikh music. He was an unsuccessful candidate of Aam Aadami Party in 2014 general elections for Punjab state of India.
Gulzar Begum, also known as Tamancha Jan was a Pakistani folk singer. She was known as The Singing Siren and The Nightingale of Lahore. She was a popular playback singer of 1930s and 1940s in Cinema of India.
