Comments on: Pakistani restaurant music

Question: Pakistani restaurant music

mulligan — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:37:02 -0800

I often eat at a couple of few different pakistani restaurant and have noticed they both play pretty much the same songs in the restaurant. Rather than ask the restaurant staff, I'm asking metafilter: Is there a common list of songs popularly played at these establishments? What are the songs that would be in such a list?

By: cyanide

cyanide — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:34:04 -0800

Since you've not really described the kind of music that's being played, I'm gonna go with Qawwali. Perhaps you could upload a couple of small audio clips?

By: hal_c_on

hal_c_on — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:55:37 -0800

Good try, cyanide, but he doesn't say same "TYPE" of music. He talks about the same songs. I'll be you that the DJ behind the music is a relatively young person. No matter the ethnicity of a restaurant, if young people are the DJs, you will be hearing the new pop music for that culture. Korean, mandarin, indian, pakistani, jamaican...or even american.

I bet you if you go to the nearest pakistani store that sells music, you will hear the same music. Its popular, its what sells, its what plays.

By: taff

taff — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:21:59 -0800

My theory is that lots of sub continental music sounds very, very similar..... (to non-language speakers) or may even sound the same. I reckon you're hearing various qawwali or bhangra tunes. Bhangra has a very distinct beat that you hear in all bhangra songs. If you don't, it's not bhangra of course.

Maybe, if you're absolutely certain it's the same songs.... a currently popular soundtrack. Which could be harder to track down... seeing as how many movies come out of the subcontinent each month!

You're going to have to ask. Best of luck finding out. And when you do, let us know. I"m curious now. I love bhangra and hindi movies/soundtracks.

By: airplain

airplain — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:11:52 -0800

My wild guess is that you're hearing music from the latest movies popular with Pakistanis. (What's the Pakistani equivalent of Bollywood?)

By: shipbreaker

shipbreaker — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:29:01 -0800

That would be Lollywood.

By: Lyn Never

Lyn Never — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:34:42 -0800

I have always had great luck asking, once even having a waiter offer to burn me a copy of the playlist they were using.