39 Famous Punjabi Songs
Contents
“Khyaal Rakhya Kar” by Preetinger
Song year: 2020
“Khyaal Rakhya” is a soft pop song with a melodic guitar track and relaxing tempo. The music video features Asim Riaz and Himanshi Khurana.
The song is about a man who gives his significant other advice for living a healthy and happy life while the music video shows touching moments between the couple. Overall, the song has a positive message that fits its relaxing melody.
“High Rated Gabru” by Guru Randhawa
Song year: 2017
With over a billion views on YouTube, “High Rated Gabru” is one of the most famous Punjabi songs from Guru Randhawa. The song is also a popular ringtone.
The upbeat track features elements of rap and hip-hop. The word “gabru” means “boy” in Punjabi. The song is about a boy who is popular and the girls he falls in love with.
‘Tunak Tunak Tun” by Daler Mehndi
Song year: 1998
“Tunak Tunak Tun” is a classic Punjabi song from the 1990s. It’s still one of the most successful hits in India outside of Bollywood tracks.
The song became a viral hit and gave birth to the “Tunak Tunak” dance. The title refers to the sound a tumba drum makes. It’s also a love song with an uplifting message that celebrates the joy of being alive and dancing.
“Gal Ban Gayee” by Sukhbir
Song year: 1997
“Gal Ban Gayee” is a fun and upbeat Punjabi song. The track shows how Punjabi music evolved in the 90s. Even though it features traditional drum playing, the song also incorporates elements of modern pop music.
The song remains iconic because of its references to traditional Punjabi dances like the gidda or bhangra.
“The Azaad Boliyan” by Drum ‘N’ Dhol
Song year: 1989
This classic Punjabi track from the late 80s feels experimental with its unique use of drums and electronic sound effects. It’s a noteworthy example of rock and new wave music influencing the Punjabi music scene.
“Bhabiye Ni Bhabiye” by Alaap
Song year: 1982
This upbeat dance track is representative of Alaap, an 80s Punjabi band featuring award-winning singer and musician Channi Singh.
It’s one of the tracks that helped popularize bhangra music outside of India. With its unique mix of Punjabi and Western instruments, Alaap contributed to the rise of traditional Punjabi music as an art form with worldwide recognition.
“Baba Ve Kala Maror” by K. Deep and Jagmohan Kaur
Song year: 1973
K. Deep and Jagmohan Kaur were a husband-and-wife team who recorded Punjabi songs in the 70s. The couple has an incredible chemistry that you can hear on the track “Baba Ve Kala Maror,” a humorous song about pushing a car that got stuck.
Their singing is representative of popular Punjabi music of the 70s and their humorous duets have remained enjoyable over the years.
“Dhol Vajda Tali Vajdi” by Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi
Song year: 1977
“Dhol Vajda Tali Vajdi” is a nostalgic track that features the beautiful singing of Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi. Rafi remains one of the most famous Indian singers of all time, with his work appearing in over 1,000 Bollywood movies and a total of more than 7,000 songs recorded.
The duet evokes love and longing while the melody uses traditional Punjabi rhythms and classic drum and string instruments.
“Dass Ja” by DJ Sanj
Song year: 2005
“Dass Ja” is a fun dance track that feels representative of Punjabi music in the 2000s. The rhythm is fast and upbeat, but it preserves the traditional drum sounds present in folk music.
The song tells the story of a boy who meets a girl and decides to marry her. It’s also representative of Punjabi culture because it describes some elements of traditional wedding ceremonies.
“Kaun Hoye Ga” by B Praak and Divya Bhatt
Song year: 2018
“Kaun Hoye Ga” appeared in the 2018 Punjabi movie Qismat. The movie is memorable thanks to amazing performances from Sargun Mehta and Ammy Virk.
It tells the story of a man who falls in love with his neighbor Bani. However, Bani falls critically ill. The song evokes the heartbreak the couple experiences at the news of her diagnosis.
“Channa Va” by B Praak
Song year: 2020
“Channa Va” is a track featured in the 2020 Punjabi movie Sufna. The song illustrates how talented and versatile B Praak truly is, with an impressive 17 movie soundtracks produced or recorded.
Sufna tells the story of a carefree young man who isn’t thinking about his future until he meets a girl and falls in love. “Channa Va” describes one of the more emotional moments of the movie and uses guitar, traditional Punjabi instruments, and B Praak’s sorrowful singing to evoke sadness.
“Na Ja” by Pav Dharia
Song year: 2018
“Na Ja” is an upbeat dance track from Punjabi singer Pav Dharia. The song is about a girl the singer finds attractive.
This song illustrates the influence of Punjabi music on the Bollywood industry. After the song became a hit, Tanishk Bagchi created a Hindi cover that appeared in the 2021 action movie Sooryavanshi starring Ashkay Kumar.
“Suit” by Guru Randhawa
Song year: 2016
“Suit” is an upbeat composition that quickly became a hit for Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa. The song refers to different traditional Punjabi or Desi clothes and explains that the singer prefers these options to more modern alternatives.
The song is a fun dance track that celebrates Punjabi culture, and the music video features all the costumes the lyrics refer to.
