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Qawwali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan featured on Rolling Stone’s list of 200 Best Singers of All Time

Qawwali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan featured on Rolling Stone’s list of 200 Best Singers of All Time

Lata Mangeshkar, Elton John, Bob Marley, Usher, Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Bono, Michael Jackson and BTS’ Jungkook were also on the list.
03 Jan, 2023

Qawwali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has been featured on American magazine Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Best Singers of All Time. He claimed the 91st spot on the list, which also features artists such as K-pop boy band BTS’ Jungkook, South Korean singer-songwriter IU, late Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar and Canadian singer The Weeknd.

The list was published on Sunday. “Watching archival performances of the late Pakistani vocal master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan — an icon in the realm of Qawwali, a type of Sufi devotional song, whose family’s musical legacy stretched back hundreds of years — it’s easy to lose track of time, and to hear how his music easily reached global audiences in the eighties when he began performing abroad and recording for Peter Gabriel’s Real World label,” the magazine wrote for the ‘Dum Mast Mast’ singer.

It discussed Khan’s fans from within the global music industry, including Madonna, Eddie Vedder whom he worked with for Dead Man Walking soundtrack and Jeff Buckley, who called him his “Elvis”.

The top spot on the list was secured by late American singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin followed by Whitney Houston and Sam Cook. The Top 10 section also included artists Billie Holiday, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Otis Redding and Al Green.

For Mangeshkar, whose music is widely listened to in Pakistan, the magazine wrote, “The crystalline, eternally girlish voice of ‘the Melody Queen’ is a cornerstone of Indian pop music, with a global influence spread via Bollywood films, whose golden era she defined. Lata was the empress of playback singers, the vocal magicians who perform songs for actors to lip-sync in lavish movie musicals, recording over 7,000 such songs, by some estimates.” She claimed the 84th spot on the list.

Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Bob Marley, Usher, Chuck Berry, Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Bono, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, João Gilberto, Billie Eilish, Rosalia, Burna Boy among others were also on the list.

Comments

Zenath Jan 03, 2023 01:59pm
Now Bilawal will demand loans from Rolling Stones magazine.
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M. Emad Jan 03, 2023 03:35pm
Qawwali becomes outdated, old style song. Now a few old people listen Qawwali.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jan 03, 2023 04:40pm
Great move and excellent news.
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Indian Jan 03, 2023 04:43pm
We Indians agree he is a legend
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Hamed Jan 03, 2023 04:53pm
Qawwali is the best music in the world, technic wise and text. You don't need opium!
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Ghanty Jan 03, 2023 04:59pm
Meaningless list. Does not even feature Pt. Bhimsen Joshi or Ud. Abdul Karim Khan.
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Mehar Jan 03, 2023 05:09pm
Very western focused list. No meaning!
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Ragu Jan 03, 2023 05:22pm
khan Saheb will be remembered and revered as a legend by generations to come.
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Nighat Jan 03, 2023 05:25pm
@M. Emad Old is Gold. Classic forever never outdates!
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Vish Jan 03, 2023 05:49pm
Who's Rolling stones?
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J Jan 03, 2023 05:51pm
@M. Emad His music has stood the test of time and his back catalogue speaks volumes. He has inspired many western musicians including the likes of Jeff Buckley. Qawwali has never gone out of date. Not everyone is into modern plastic clap-trap they call music these days!
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Bunny Jan 03, 2023 06:01pm
Its really awesome how with that weight he was able to hold his breath and sing in high pitch. he is worth all this and more ...
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MansoorK Jan 03, 2023 06:28pm
With names like Rafi and Kishore missing, this compilation is a complete BS.
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bhaRAT© Jan 03, 2023 06:36pm
Supremo
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bhaRAT© Jan 03, 2023 06:37pm
@M. Emad You are clueless, as usual !!
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Enlightened One Jan 03, 2023 07:30pm
Who cares about Rolling Stones magazine?
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Syed Hasni Jan 03, 2023 07:37pm
I have not heard Nusrat Fateh Ali for a while - He was a true Rolling stone. I guess he went downhill
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ajay Jan 03, 2023 07:47pm
For me though i am an indian.. Nusrat saab is number one singer.. no match for him anywhere.
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suman roy Jan 03, 2023 07:59pm
@M. Emad- Wrong. Qawaali is still quite a popular genre in India.
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Ghajnavi Jan 03, 2023 08:37pm
Both are legends of music Industry and widely followed and respected in both countries
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Zulfiqar Jan 03, 2023 08:46pm
@M. Emad not true at all. Have listen to Zain Zohaib
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Firangi Jan 03, 2023 08:49pm
Rafi, Lata and Nusrat top ten in my list
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Firangi Jan 03, 2023 08:50pm
@M. Emad you must be kidding, devotional Qawwali is one of the greatest genre’s in music
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kiran R Jan 03, 2023 09:41pm
No Rafisaab ! Its just english music list. They shouldn't try to include other singers. Its insult.
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Khaled Jan 03, 2023 09:57pm
@Zenath What's the relevance?
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Khaled Jan 03, 2023 09:59pm
@M. Emad . Old is gold, what's your issue?
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Khaled Jan 03, 2023 10:02pm
@Syed Hasni Not funny, all of us have to go downhill one day.
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Magister Jan 03, 2023 10:21pm
No Bade Ghulam Ali / Mehdi Hassan / Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Then the list speaks for itself.
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Syed Hasni Jan 03, 2023 11:22pm
@Khaled are you the Moral Police, or you have to say something here too. Kaun Kehta Hai Hum Uske Bina Mar Jayenge, Hum To Dariya Hain Samandar Mein Utar Jayenge, Wo Taras Jayenge Pyar Ki Ek Boond Ke Liye, Hum To Badal Hain Kahin Aur Baras Jayenge.
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Qbmx Jan 03, 2023 11:51pm
what is it ? who is he? never seen him. who cares!
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Pak Khan Jan 04, 2023 12:18am
No Anu Malik? :D
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Ponka Games Jan 04, 2023 01:35am
Prince is way above Michael Jackson. Let that sink in!
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Syed Ali Jan 04, 2023 03:02am
No mention of Am Kulsum, greatest Egyptian Arabic singer.
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Lakhkar khan Jan 04, 2023 08:05am
@M. Emad - You have your opinion, an invalid one.
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Ravi Dhar Jan 04, 2023 08:20am
Why not Mohd. Rafi?
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Akram Lahore Jan 04, 2023 08:25am
@M. Emad ..is that india is copying his qawwali songs even today from Nadeem-Shravan, Aun Malik to that new singer who became famous by copying lines from his qawwali.
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Johnw Jan 04, 2023 08:41am
Rolling stone list has no relevance to any music outside English. They are not qualified to determine where Lata mangeshkar or Fateh Ali stands. Even within the realms of English music their understanding and view of Singers is quite poor
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Appa , USA Jan 04, 2023 08:47am
Great singer, I love to hear his recording any time and enjoy this great talent. We lost him at a very young age. Long time ago India conferred him a greatest award( similar to Lata ji and Mohd. Rafi Sab) but he refused fearing back home government.
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Shahid Jan 04, 2023 09:14am
A list made with obvious aim to push BLM and diversity agenda. In fact, it's not even diversity as all of them are representing 1 race only. Top 10 singers on the list are all black. Not a coincidence certainly and deliberately assembled to prove a point. Otherwise no way they can be in top 10. Some of them not even have 1 song that is globally popular. Global icons like Freddie Mercury, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Elton John, George Michael, Chris Cornell, Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger etc all are relegated outside top ranks as they are white.
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Bikram Jan 04, 2023 11:37am
@Pak Khan Bapppi Lehri too :))
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