5 reasons why Coke Studio's national anthem didn't win us over

Coke Studio has a lot of making up to do after its version of the national anthem flatlined among listeners.

Released on Saturday, the version features a star ensemble of some of Pakistan's finest singers - showcasing CS' Season 10 lineup - yet it failed to win many over.

Attempting to rework the national anthem is a difficult feat, keeping in mind that it holds sentimental value for many Pakistanis.

Having said that, while we're totally for artistic expression and showcasing local talent, our reservations about CS' launch song have more to do with the treatment of the song and music video.

Here are 5 reasons why CS failed to win our vote with its national anthem.

1) The varying tune levels

Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi starts off grand; his deep voice and the soft choir gear us up for a good beginning. Unfortunately, that's the beginning of the end; 16 seconds in and the tune changes to something of a carnival theme, only to take another dip in the tune and then rise up again - we're left wondering what went wrong.

It only goes downhill from there when the piano gets heavy and adds weight to the song. The national anthem is meant to be upbeat with the music ascending and complementing the lyrics rather than becoming overbearing and creating a mix of different tunes.

2) Failing to use artists' full potential

The national anthem is a song which stresses more on vocals and less on instruments, and with such a talented lineup, instead of utilising the strength of each artist and featuring it in the song, CS relied heavily on the mechanics which overpowered the vocals and lyrics.

In trying to achieve a unique musical blend, CS overlooked the vocal range it could've played with while making each artist shine in his/her own right and drowned us in the background music.

3) Lack of zeal

There was room for a lot more vigour and passion, which was missing.

4) Lack of cultural touch

Would we give the song another listen? Probably not. Would we remember it? No.