Posthumous album of late maestro Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan String of light has topped 10 global albums in 2025, according to Guardian. Another Pakistani singer and musician who made it to the list was Arooj Aftab who bagged the sixth position on the list.
The album Chain of Light was released earlier this year and made waves in the industry as NFAK once again gave his fans a treat. qawalisa surprise that came 27 years after his death. In 1990, he recorded ‘Mast Mast’ with producer Michael Brook, who added the Western element of electric guitar, thus creating a combination that spanned the ages.
However, before that, NFAK also recorded four traditions qawalis with the same manufacturer was never released. These qawalis was recently rediscovered and remastered, eventually leading to its release Light string.
Especially appreciate the album Ya Gaus Ya Meeran, Guardian said, “Over nine minutes of shifting tempos, Khan engaged us with his cries of counterpoint and yearning, cementing his status as one of music’s great voices. ”
First Pakistani to win a Grammy, Arooj Aftab’s fifth album Night reigns dubbed the transition from ‘quiet intensity’. Guardian said: “Aftab’s powerful voice anchors each composition, gliding gracefully through changing sounds to express the nighttime setting that provided the inspiration for this music.”
The list features a diverse range of music, including Poeji’s evocative soundscapes NantDJ Love’s reinterpreted classic Budots World (Reloaded)A journey to discover the soul of Indian classical singer Ganavya Daughter of a templePersonal narrative by Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O True storyLord Spikeheart’s experimental electronic sounds Expert personInnovative Brazilian music by Fabiano do Nascimento, introspective jazz by Sam Gendel Roomand collaborative masterpieces Milton+Esperanza by Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding.