TikTok’s path in Pakistan has been spectacular, from overcoming prohibitions to becoming one of the most popular entertainment platforms in the country.
They made a splash with their sponsorship of the Pakistan Super League and the Australia series, followed by multiple programs with Zindagi Trust, LUMS, and Edkasa, among others, and they haven’t looked back since. There is no disputing that TikTok is progressively becoming a household brand in Pakistan, even though many individuals are still wary of the platform.
Pakistan’s music industry is the sector that has profited the most. Music in Pakistan has experienced its fair share of ups and downs, but thanks to TikTok, a major rebirth appears imminent. TikTok has emerged as the most potent venue for promoting Pakistani music, revitalizing older singers, and presenting the world with new musical talent. The online platform, with over a billion users globally has created a new constellation of music stars and resurrected a generation of old stars who had faded from Pakistan’s once vibrant music scene.The platform has not only revitalized music in Pakistan but also introduced Pakistani music to the international community.
TikTok’s unique selling proposition of making content available and accessible to millions of fans worldwide belonging to all socioeconomic classes makes it the ideal platform for the revival of Pakistani music, as evidenced by Coke Studio’s Pasoori becoming a trending track on TikTok around the world.
Whether classic tunes and blasts from the past or new and popular beats from current and up-and-coming musicians, TikTok has demonstrated its ability to help music reach millions upon millions of followers in Pakistan and abroad. Add to that the ability for fans to interact with their favorite music performers and vice versa on the platform, and you have the perfect formula for success! TikTok has rapidly become the platform of choice for Pakistani musicians to advance their careers for the reasons mentioned above.
Even the Pakistan Super League was able to capitalize on TikTok’s fame by recruiting them as the Entertainment Partner and collaborating with them on the anthem for the previous season, “Aage Dekh,” sung by celebrities Atif Aslam and Aima Baig. The song received millions of views and creations on the app, and both Atif and Aima launched their TikTok profiles.
Reviving Pakistan’s most revered musical icons
Even though the country had a vibrant music scene for three decades, from the 1980s to the early 2000s, the shift in the listeners’ and musicians’ mindsets was not as seamless as it should have been. Numerous outstanding vocalists, such as Haroon, Shazia Manzoor, and Humaira Arshad, have passed away, robbing the next generation of their wonderful voices.
There was also a lack of interest on the part of the younger generation in folk music genres exemplified by artists such as Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi and Naseebo Lal. With the advent of TikTok, these living icons not only received a venue to broadcast their classic songs but also created new melodies. Famous veterans like them have concluded that TikTok is the place to be.
Even if a song has been outside the mainstream music charts for decades, it can ascend organically on TikTok. It has the potential to promote both recent releases and forgotten tunes. This was demonstrated when Ali Zafar’s Jhoom went viral on the platform, and over 800,000 videos were developed to give it new life.