Afghan Music

For many Afghans, the roots of Afghan Music start with the Street of Kharabat (Koche Kharabat) in Kabul, Afghanistan. Legendary Afghan singers, the grand masters of classical music such as Ustaad Sarahang, Ustaad Nato, Ustaad Rahim Bakhsh, Ustaad Nainawaz and many others hail from Koche Kharabat.

Generation after generation of Afghan artists, were born in Koche Kharabat. It is often said that if you walked on the streets on Kharabat, you would hear music coming from each and every door. Students of music flocked streets of kharabat to learn and practise music. Although Kharabat was affluent in Art and Talent, it was (and still is) in dilipidated condition. Afghan musicians never earned enough to build large homes or bunglaws and often found themselves content with the dusty, murky streets of Kharabat. For instance, one of the most loved and charished Afghan singer who is often attributed with the golden voice of pain and anguish, Sarban, was on the brink of death from starvation, psychological problems and numerous health problems, when finally one of the Afghan News Anchors decided to lend a helping hand. Very soon after an Album release and a bunch of TV shows in his honor, Sarban was no longer a lost story. He once again emerged as the new voice of Afghanistan from the streets of Kharabat. Unfortunately by now he was old and fragile and soon after met his death. Today his albums are still sold all over the world and his songs are played in each and every household.


For many 'younger' Afghans the history of Afghan music starts with the time the legend, Ahmad Zahir, started singing. Within a few short years, he not only captured the hearts and souls of Afghans, but also left a legacy, which is still charished and marveled by Afghans world wide.

Historically speaking, music and broadcasting in Afghanistan (in its popular form) started with the inception of Radio Kabul , which re-opened in 1940. As Radio Afghanistan reached the entire country, popular music grew more important. In 1951, Parwin became the first Afghan woman to sing live in Radio. Although in a conservative Islamic nation, a singing female Afghan artist was considered a form of blashphemy by certain fundamentalist groups but following parwin's footsteps Farida Mahwash , with the help of her husband - who was then a taxi driver in Shari Now, managed to change everyone's views. She learnt afghan music in Kharabat district of Kabul under the tutelage of grand master's of Afghan ghazal singers such as Ustaad Sarhang, Ustaad Shaida etc. Soon Afghan female singers were widely accepted and admired in Afghanistan. Ustaad Mahwash's popularity soard in Afghanistan and eventually gained her the title of Ustad (Master), after her hit song "O bacheh" in 1977; she was "perhaps the most notable" of pop singers. Modern afghan music did not arise until the 1950s when radio became commonplace in the country. They used orchestras featuring both Afghan and Indian instruments, as well as European clarinets, guitars and violins. 1970's were the golden age of Afghanistan's Music Industry. Currently, popular Afghan pop singers include Farhad Darya, Habib Qaderi , Jawid Sharif, Bashir Hamdard and many others.