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{{short description|Upbeat type of popular music associated with Punjabi culture}}
{{Lead too short|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name = Bhangra
| native_name = Bhaṅgṛā, ਭੰਗੜਾ
| etymology =
| other_names =
| bgcolor = skyblue
| image =
| caption =
| stylistic_origins = [[Folk music of Punjab|Punjabi traditional folk]], [[pop music|pop]]
| cultural_origins = Early 1970s, India, Pakistan, UK
| instruments =
| derivatives =
| subgenres =
| fusiongenres =
| regional_scenes =
| local_scenes =
| other_topics =
}}
'''Bhaṅgṛā''' (ਭੰਗੜਾ <small>([[Gurmukhi]])</small>; {{IPA-pa|pə̀ŋɡɽɑː||Bhangra_pronunciation.ogg}}) is a type of upbeat [[popular music]] associated with the [[Punjabi diaspora]] in Britain. The style has its origins in the folk music of Punjab as well as western pop music of the 70s and 80s. Prior to this musical fusion, Bhangra existed only as [[Bhangra (dance)|a dance form]] in the native [[Punjab]]. This British music was unique in that it was not traditional nor did it seek any authenticity. While the traditional folk music of Punjab has a set of melodies that are used by various singers, Bhangra was a form of strict "band culture" in that new melodies were composed for each song. Therefore, the musicians were as important as the singers.

==Origins==
The roots of modern bhangra music date back to the [[British Punjabi]] community in Britain during the 1960s. An early pop music and modern recording artist/group of this type of music in the United Kingdom was [[Bhujhangy Group]], founded by \Tarlochan Singh Bilga, Balbir Singh Khanpur ,Gurpal,Rajinder Dhona, Dalvir Kahanpuri and in Birmingham in 1971.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Folkard, Claire|title=Guinness World Records 2005|year=2004|publisher=Guinness World Records|location=Enfield|isbn=0851121926|page=199}}</ref> Bhujhangy Group's first major hit was "Bhabiye Akh Larr Gayee" Lyric by Tarlochan Singh Bilga the early 1975s, released on Birmingham's [[Oriental Star Agencies]] label. This was the first song to combine traditional Asian music with modern Western instruments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.osa.co.uk/feature_content.asp?feature_id=1|title=Osa History|access-date=2013-09-09|publisher=Oriental Star Agencies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323032510/http://www.osa.co.uk/feature_content.asp?feature_id=1|archive-date=2014-03-23|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Differences from folk music===
Although bhangra music used many of the elements of Punjabi folk music (e.g. - "Bakkrey Bulaaney" - the goat herding vocalizations), it was also radically different in its embrace of modernity. The song structure of a typical bhangra song featured four verses, a chorus, along with two alternating instrumental bridge sections. (e.g. - CVB1CVB2CVB1CVB2C.) Hence it featured more musicianship than its folk predecessor.

==United Kingdom==
===1970s===
A modern and commercial form of bhangra music was said to rise in Britain in the 1970s by Punjabi immigrants who took their native folk music and began experimenting by altering it using instruments from their host country. The new genre quickly became popular in Britain replacing Punjabi folk singers due to it being heavily influenced in Britain by the infusion of rock music and a need to move away from the simple and repetitive Punjabi folk music. It indicated the development of a self-conscious and distinctively rebellious [[British Asian]] [[youth culture]] centred on an experiential sense of self, e.g., language, [[gesture]], bodily signification, desires, etc., in a situation in which tensions with British culture and [[racism|racist]] elements in British society had resulted in [[Social alienation|alienation]] in many [[Minority group|minority ethnic groups]], fostered a sense of need for an affirmation of a positive identity and culture, and provided a platform for British Punjabi males to assert their masculinity.<ref name = "htyxku">Sharma, Sanjay. "Noisy Asians or 'Asian Noise'?" In ''Disorienting Rhythms: The Politics of the New Asian Dance Music''</ref><ref>[http://www.sehyon.com/bhangra.htm Sehyon.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202956/http://www.sehyon.com/bhangra.htm |date=2016-03-03 }}, a composer of Bhangra music</ref><ref name="xucwva">{{cite web|url=https://moodle.brandeis.edu/file.php/3404/pdfs/sharma_noisy-asians.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408203954/https://moodle.brandeis.edu/file.php/3404/pdfs/sharma_noisy-asians.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-04-08|title=Moodle.brandeis.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f2bb9fc-d03b-11da-b160-0000779e2340.html|title=Subscribe to read|website=www.ft.com}}</ref>

In the 1980s, distributed by record labels such as [[Multitone Records]], bhangra artists were selling over 30,000 cassettes a week in the UK, but no artists reached the Top 40 UK chart despite these artists outselling popular British ones; most of the bhangra cassette sales were not through the large UK record stores, whose sales were those recorded by the Official UK Charts Company for creating their rankings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dholclips.com|title=芸能人愛用のカラコン特集┃可愛いカラーコンタクトcolors|website=www.dholclips.com|access-date=2018-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921061517/http://dholclips.com/|archive-date=2017-09-21|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The group [[Alaap (band)]] formed in 1977, co-founded by [[Channi Singh]] and Harjeet Gandhi who both hailed from [[Southall]], a Punjabi area in London. Their album ''Teri Chunni De Sitaray'' was released in 1982 by Multitone. Alaap was considered the first and original superstar bhangra band formed in the United Kingdom. Channi Singh has been awarded the OBE by the Queen for his services to bhangra music and services/charity for the British Asian community. Co-founder Harjeet Gandhi died in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hindunet.org/onps/default.php?dtstr=20031026&Formsearchresults_Page=9|title=Todays News|website=hindunet.org|access-date=2016-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513202212/http://hindunet.org/onps/default.php?dtstr=20031026&Formsearchresults_Page=9|archive-date=2016-05-13|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 1980s is commonly known as the golden age, or the age of bhangra music, which lasted roughly from 1985 to 1993. The primary emphasis during these times was on the melody/riff, played out usually on a synthesizer, harmonium, accordion or a guitar. The folk instruments were rarely used

One of the biggest bhangra stars of the last several decades is [[Malkit Singh]] and his band Golden Star. Singh was born in June 1963 in the village of [[Hussainpur]] in Punjab. He attended the [[Lyallpur Khalsa College]], [[Jalandhar]], in Punjab in 1980 to study for a bachelor of arts degree. There he met his mentor, Professor Inderjit Singh, who taught him Punjabi folk singing and bhangra dancing. Due to Singh's tutelage, Malkit entered and won song contests during this time. In 1983, he won a gold medal at the [[Guru Nanak Dev University]] in [[Amritsar]], Punjab, for performing his song "Gurh Nalon Ishq Mitha", which later featured on his first album, ''Nach Gidhe Wich'', Lyric by Tarlochan Singh Bilga released in 1985. This album was created with Manager, Tarlochan Singh Bilga(TSB). The band has toured 27 countries. Malkit has been awarded the MBE by the Queen for his services to bhangra music.

Bhangra boy band, the [[Sahotas]], were composed of five brothers from [[Wolverhampton]]. Their music is a fusion of bhangra, rock and dance.

[[Heera Group UK|Heera]], formed by Bhupinder Bhindi and fronted by Kumar and Dhami, was one of the most popular bands of the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tM7vvmV1SWcC&q=Heera%2C+formed+by+Bhupinder+Bhindi+and+fronted+by+Kumar+and+Dhami%2C+was+one+of+the+most+popular+bands+of+the+1980s&pg=PA40|title=Folk Dances of Punjab|last=Walia|first=Aarohi|date=2008|publisher=Unistar Books|isbn=9788171426027}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/oct/14/urban|title=Bhangra music goes global|last=Steward|first=Sue|date=2007-10-14|work=The Guardian|access-date=2018-12-05|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The group established itself with the albums ''Jag Wala Mela'', produced by [[Kuljit Bhamra]], and ''Diamonds from Heera'', produced by Deepak Khazanchi, on Arishma records. These albums are notable for being amongst the first bhangra albums to mix Punjabi drums and Punjabi synthesizers with traditional British instruments successfully.

Bands like Alaap and Heera incorporated rock-influenced beats into bhangra, because it enabled "Asian youth to affirm their identities positively" within the broader environment of alternative rock as an alternative way of expression. However, some believe that the progression of bhangra music created an "intermezzo culture" post-India's partition, within the unitary definitions of Southeast Asians within the diaspora, thus "establishing a brand new community in their home away from home".<ref name="bdnvra">Sharma, Sanjay. "Noisy Asians or 'Asian Noise'?" In ''Disorienting Rhythms: The Politics of the New Asian Dance Music'', ed. Sanjay Sharma, John Hutnyk, and Ashwani Sharma, 32-57. London: Zed Books, 1996.[https://archive.today/20120730100146/http://www.focusanthro.org/essays0405/nalikagajaweera0405.htm The Discontents of the Hyphenated Identity: Second Generation British Asian Youth Culture and Fusion Music]</ref>

Several other influential groups appeared around the same time, including The Saathies, Premi Group, Bhujungy Group, and [[Apna Sangeet]]. Apna Sangeet, best known for their hit "Mera Yaar Vajavey Dhol", re-formed for charity in May 2009 after a break-up.<ref>[http://www.sonaweb.co.uk/blog/47-blog/71-blogbhangraapnasangeeet Sonaweb.co.uk] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719001225/http://www.sonaweb.co.uk/blog/47-blog/71-blogbhangraapnasangeeet |date=July 19, 2009 }}, Bhangra superstars choose Sona Web</ref>

When Bhangra and General Indian sounds and lyrics were combined, British-Asian artists began incorporating them in their music. Some Asian artists, such as [[Mick St Clair]], [[Bally Sagoo]], [[Talvin Singh]], Badmarsh, Black Star Liner are creating their own form of British [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]].

This era also brought about bhangra art, which like the bhangra music it represented was rebellious. Unlike folk music art, which consisted of a picture of the folk singer, bhangra recordings had details such as distinctive artwork, logos, clever album names and band/musician listings (who played what).

===Folk backlash===
Unlike bhangra, folk music depends on a set number of traditional melodies that may be hundreds of years old. Each new singer simply writes new lyrics using one of those melodies.

In the mid-1990s, many artists, attracted to the economics of a bandless singer only act that technology such as karaoke machines now enabled, returned to the original, traditional folk beats away from bhangra music, often incorporating more dhol drum beats and tumbi. This time also saw the rise of several young Punjabi folk singers as a backlash to bhangra music. They were aided by DJs who mixed hip hop samples with folk singing.

Beginning around 1994, there was a trend towards the use of samples (often sampled from mainstream hip hop) mixed with traditional folk rhythm instruments, such as the tumbi and dhol. Using folk instruments and hip-hop samples, along with relatively inexpensive folk vocals imported from Punjab, Punjabi folk music was able to cause the decline of bhangra music.

Pioneering DJs instrumental in the decline of bhangra were [[Mick St Clair]], [[Bally Sagoo]] and [[Panjabi MC]]. As DJs who were initially hired by bhangra labels to remix the original recordings on the label's roster (OSA and Nachural respectively), they along with the record labels quickly found that remixing folk singers from India was much cheaper than working with outsourced bhangra bands.

A pioneering folk singer that was instrumental in bhangra's demise was [[Jazzy B]], who debuted in 1992. Having sold over 55,000 copies of his third album, ''Folk and Funky'', he is now one of the best-selling Punjabi folk artists in the world, with a vocal style likened to that of [[Kuldip Manak]].

Other influential folk artists include [[Surinder Shinda]] - famous for his "Putt Jattan De" - [[Harbhajan Mann]], [[Manmohan Waris]], Meshi Eshara, [[Sarbjit Cheema]], [[Hans Raj Hans]], [[Sardool Sikander]], Anakhi, Sat Rang, XLNC, [[B21 (band)|B21]], Shaktee, Sahara, [[Paaras]], PDM, Amar Group, Sangeet Group, [[Bombay Talkie (band)|Bombay Talkie]], and Late Alam Lohar contributions of notably Jugni and Mirza Sahiban. A DJ to rise to stardom with many successful hits was Panjabi MC.

By the end of the 1990s, bhangra music had largely declined and been replaced with Punjabi folk singers. The same folk singers which bhangra bands had replaced a decade earlier were being utilized by DJs to make relatively inexpensive live music on laptops. This "[[folkhop]]" genre was short lived as records could not be officially released due to nonclearance copyrights on samples used to create the "beat". This continued until the end of the century. Folk-hop record labels such as Hi-Tech were investigated by BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for copyright infringement by way of uncleared samples on releases by folk DJs such as DJ Sanj.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/bpi-acts-after-sampling-complaints/027974|title=BPI acts after sampling complaints - News - Music Week|website=www.musicweek.com}}</ref>

Toward the end of the decade, bhangra continued to decline, with folk-hop artists such as Bally Sagoo and Apache Indian signing with international recording labels Sony and Island. Moreover, Multitone Records, one of the major recording labels associated with bhangra in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, was bought by BMG. A recent{{when|date=July 2015}} [[Pepsi]] commercial launched in Britain featured South Asian actors and Punjabi folk music.

===2000s remixes===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2013}}
Punjabi folk remixed with hip-hop, known as [[folkhop]], is most often produced when folk vocals are purchased online to be remixed in a studio. Folk vocals are usually sung to traditional melodies, that are often repeated with new lyrics.
[[File:Hot seasons Punjabi Folk dance.webm|thumb|left|450px|Punjabi folk remixed]]
Some South Asian DJs, especially in America, have mixed Punjabi folk music with house, [[reggae]], and [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] to add a different flavor to Punjabi folk. These remixes continued to gain popularity as the 1990s came to an end. This movement was established and proliferated by DJs such as Mick St Clair, Punjabi MC and DJ Rekha. DJ Rekha, originally from the UK, now resides in New York City running a club event series called Basement Bhangra. These monthly events exhibit house and hip hop bhangra remixes.

A notable remix artist is [[Bally Sagoo]], a Punjabi-Sikh, Anglo-Indian raised in [[Birmingham]], England. Sagoo described his music as "a bit of tablas, a bit of the Indian sound. But bring on the bass lines, bring on the funky-drummer beat, bring on the [[James Brown]] samples", to ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine in 1997. He was recently signed by [[Sony]]. [[Daler Mehndi]], a Punjabi singer from India has a type of music known as "folk pop". Mehndi has released tracks such as "Bolo Ta Ra Ra" and "Ho Jayegee Balle Balle". His song "[[Tunak Tunak Tun]]" was released in 1998.

==Canada and the United States==
[[File:MissPooja2.jpg|thumb|[[Miss Pooja]] famous for her numerous album releases ]]

Punjabi immigrants have encouraged the growth of Punjabi folk music in the Western hemisphere rather than bhangra music. The bhangra industry has grown in North America much less than in the United Kingdom. Indian Lion, a Canadian folk artist explains what he thinks has caused this:

{{quote|The reason there's a lot of bands in England is because there's a lot of work in England. In England the tradition that's been going on for years now is that there are weddings happening up and down the country every weekend, and it's part of the culture that they have bhangra bands come and play, who get paid 1800 quid a shot, you know. Most of the bands are booked up for the next two years. And England is a country where you can wake up in the morning and by lunchtime you can be at the other end of the country, it helps. In Canada it takes 3 days to get to the other side of the country, so there's no circuit there. And it isn't a tradition [in Canada] to have live music at weddings. There are a few bands here that play a few gigs, but nothing major.|Indian Lion}}

North American (non bhangra) folk artists such as [[Manmohan Waris]], Jazzy Bains, [[Kamal Heer]], Harbhajan Mann, Sarabjit Cheema, and Debi Makhsoospuri have emerged and the [[remix]] market has grown.<ref>iLounge.com (2006) [http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/8209/ ''Study: Digital music market sees 'remarkable growth'']</ref><ref>Katz, Michael (2008) [http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=michael_katz ''Recycling Copyright: Survival & Growth in the Remix Age''] (pdf-format)</ref>

In 2001, Punjabi folk, and its hip-hop form, [[folkhop]], began to exert an influence over US [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] music, when [[Missy Elliott]] released the folkhop-influenced song "[[Get Ur Freak On]]". In 2003, a version of [[Panjabi MC]]'s "[[Mundian To Bach Ke]]" ("Beware of the Boys") featured U.S. rapper [[Jay-Z]].<ref>[http://www.americanbhangra.com/americanbhangrahistory.php American Bhangra - History of American Bhangra] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070404164147/http://www.americanbhangra.com/americanbhangrahistory.php |date=April 4, 2007 }}</ref> Additionally, American rapper [[Pras]] of [[The Fugees]] recorded tracks with British alternative bhangra band [[Swami (band)|Swami]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Folk Dances of Punjab|last=Walia|first=Aarohi|publisher=Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd.|year=2008|pages=43}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} American singer and actress [[Selena Gomez]] released her bhangra-influenced single "[[Come & Get It (Selena Gomez song)|Come & Get It]]" from her first solo album ''[[Stars Dance]]'' in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.selenagomez.com/music/stars-dance|title=Stars Dance|date=2016-04-28|website=Selena Gomez|language=en|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref>

==Lyrics==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2013}}
[[File:Walpaper.jpg|thumb|Bhangra lyrics, which generally cover social issues or love, are sung in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]]]
Bhangra lyrics, which generally cover social issues or love, are sung in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]. Bhangra lyrics were generally kept deliberately simple by the creators of the genre because the youth did not understand complex lyrics. Traditional Punjabi folk lyrics are generally more complex and often tell the tales of Punjabi history. There are many bhangra songs devoted to Punjabi pride themes and Punjabi heroes. The lyrics are tributes to the cultural traditions of Punjab. In particular, many bhangra tracks have been written about [[Udham Singh]] and [[Bhagat Singh]]. Less serious topics include beautiful women with their colourful [[Dupatta|duppattas]]. Lyrics can also be about crops and the coming of a new season. Bhangra is sung fiercely with strong lyrics often yelling: "balle balle" or "chakde phate", which refer to celebration and/or pride.

Notable bhangra or Punjabi lyricists include [[Harbans Jandu]] (Jandu Littranwala) ("Giddhian Di Rani") and Rattan Reehal (Rurki wala rattan).

==Instruments==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2018}}

Punjabi instruments contribute to bhangra. Originally this was primarily the [[dhol]]. The 20th century has brought changes to the instruments that define bhangra, to include the [[tumbi]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8O9tua3CjhMC&q=tumbi&pg=PA115|title=Bhangra Moves: From Ludhiana to London and Beyond|last=Roy|first=Anjali Gera|date=2010-01-01|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=9780754658238}}</ref> [[sarangi]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8O9tua3CjhMC&q=sarangi&pg=PA58|title=Bhangra Moves: From Ludhiana to London and Beyond|last=Roy|first=Anjali Gera|date=2010-01-01|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=9780754658238}}</ref> [[dholak]] (smaller than the dhol), [[flute]], [[zither]], [[fiddle]], [[Pump organ|harmonium]], [[tabla]], [[guitar]], [[mandolin]], saxophone, synthesizer, drum set, and other Western instruments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/bhangra|title=bhangra {{!}} dance|newspaper=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2017-01-16}}</ref> Perhaps the most famous Bhangra instrument is the dhol. It is a double-sided barrel drum that creates the beat to which Bhangra is danced to. The person who plays the instrument, the dholi, plays various beats to create the different Bhangra segments, such as Dhamaal, Jhummar, One side of the dhol has thicker skin, which creates a deeper sound, and the other side has a thinner skin, resulting in a higher-pitched sound. Two sticks are used to play the dhol instrument. The thicker stick, called the dagga, is used to play the bass side. The thinner tilli is used to play the treble side. Both sticks are usually made of wood or bamboo.<ref>https://learnbhangra.com/history</ref>

The string instruments include the [[guitar]] (both electrical), [[Bass guitar|bass]], [[sitar]], [[tumbi]], [[veena]], [[violin]] and [[sarangi]]. The [[Snare drum|snare]], [[Tom-tom drum|toms]], [[dhadd]], dafli, [[dholki]], and [[damru]] are the other drums. The tumbi, originally played by folk artists such as [[Lal Chand Yamla Jatt|Lalchand Yamla Jatt]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://folkpunjab.org/yamla-jatt/|title=Yamla Jatt|website=Folk Punjab|access-date=2017-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029051751/http://folkpunjab.org/yamla-jatt/|archive-date=2016-10-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Kuldeep Manak|Kuldip Manak]] in true folk recordings and then notably used by [[Chamkila]], a Punjabi folk (not bhangra) singer, is a high-tone, single-string instrument and Chimta by (Late) Alam Lohar.

===Percussion===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2013}}

Bhangra today has developed into a largely beat-based music genre, unlike before 1994, when it was slightly more mellow and classical. [[Pandit Dinesh]] and [[Kuljit Bhamra]] were trained exponents of Indian percussion and helped create the current British music, mainly with tabla and dholki for bands like Alaap and [[Heera Group UK|Heera]].

15-year-old percussionist Bhupinder Singh Kullar, a.k.a. Tubsy, of [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]], Birmingham, created a more contemporary style and groove that seemed to fuse more naturally with Western music. Songs such as "Dhola veh Dhola" (Satrang) and albums such as ''Bomb the Tumbi'' (Safri Boyz) contained this new style.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Nilan|first1=Pam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iEt_AgAAQBAJ&q=Bomb+the+Tumbi&pg=PT51|title=Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds|last2=Feixa|first2=Carles|date=2006-11-22|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-19834-4|language=en}}</ref>

Sunil Kalyan of [[Southall]], London, was a session musician on many songs and albums, playing the tabla.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sunilkalyan.com/|title=SunilKalyan.com Official site of the Bhangra percussion legend. Tabla, Dholak, Dhol and other percussion, Music Production & more! Southall, London.|website=sunilkalyan.com}}</ref>

[[Sukhshinder Shinda]] later introduced his style of dhol playing with the album ''Dhol Beat''. He added a very clean style of dhol playing and helped create the sound for artists such as Jaswinder Singh Bains and [[Bhinda Jatt]].

Another notable<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZrE4AQAAIAAJ&q=parvinder+Bharat%C2%A0+percussionist|title=Global Rhythm|date=2006|publisher=World Marketing Incorporated|language=en}}</ref> percussionist was Parvinder Bharat (Parv) of [[Wolverhampton]]. Parv had played for many bhangra bands from the '80s, playing with bands such as Satrang, Pardesi and then eventually joining the internationally acclaimed DCS. After leaving DCS, Parv continued to experiment with his art which resulted in a European tour with American singer [[Stevie Wonder]].

==Cultural impact and resurgence of Punjabi folk music in the West==
The third and fourth generation are generally unable to speak Punjabi if their parents could hardly speak it. There is a move towards [[Folk music of Punjab|Punjabi folk music]] which is the purest form of Punjabi music.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} Much of the youth struggle to understand the lyrics, although, there are some children and young adults who have maintained their folk roots. Another reason why some fans express an anti-folk sentiment is that many folk songs were written for the dominate [[Jat people|Jatts]] clan whereas Sikhs do not believe in castes, so they disapproved of [[Folk music of Punjab|Punjabi folk music]]. However, today with artists like Tru-Skool, [[Jazzy B]], PMC, [[Sukhshinder Shinda]], Surinder Shinda, Pappi Gill, Nachattar Gill, Pammi Bai and [[Diljit Dosanjh]], Punjabi folk has increased in popularity although it is fused in some cases{{vague|date=November 2016}}. iTunes has catalogs of many Punjabi folk singers available.

Another cause of the resurgence of Punjabi folk music is due to the increased popularity of bhangra in areas like the UK, Canada and U.S. Bhangra has become more accessible through social media platforms such as [[YouTube]] and [[Instagram]], for the younger generation. In addition, multiple universities, across the UK, US and Canada have teams as well as academies being set up by senior dancers separate from universities. This resurgence has led to a desire for more traditional folk songs and beats, but also a learning opportunity for children of their cultures.

==Derivatives==
===Bhangragga===
'''Bhangragga''' is a term for the style of [[music]] incorporating elements of Bhangra and [[dancehall]] (or [[ragga]], short for the word [[:wikt:raggamuffin|Raggamuffin]]) created by [[British Asian]] producers Simon and Diamond on the debut album by [[Apache Indian]] ''No Reservations'' (1993).
The sound is very [[percussion instrument|percussion]]-heavy - a distinct holdover from Bhangra - with a propulsive beat clearly designed for dancing. The dancehall influence can be felt through the use of pre-programmed music, similar to Dancehall "[[riddim]]s".
Lyrically, the style features a combination of Sub-Continental-accented (usually Indian) vocals delivered in the clipped style associated with dancehall - and sometimes including the Patois of the latter style.
This style is almost exclusively a British phenomenon, as the two cultures involved in its genesis mix reasonably freely there. The most successful exponent, however, is [[Apache Indian (musician)|Apache Indian]], who had a worldwide hit with "[[Boom Shack-A-Lak]]", which was included on the soundtrack to the film ''[[Dumb and Dumber]]'', among others.

==See also==
*[[List of bhangra artists]]
*[[Music of Punjab]]
*[[Punjabi culture]]
*[[Asian Underground]]
*[[Multitone records]]
*[[Dhol]]
*[[Punjab region]]
*[[Music of the United Kingdom]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bhangra}}
*[http://www.gabroo.tv Where Bhangra Lives]
*[http://www.simplybhangra.com Bhangra News, Music Videos & Interviews]
*[http://www.bhangra.org www.Bhangra.org]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090913221449/http://houseofbhangra.co.uk/ House Of Bhangra]
*[http://www.realbhangra.com Real Bhangra]
*[http://www.desiblock.com Punjabi Video Songs]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140703023931/http://www.indiamusic.com/ India Music - The first ever Indian Music domain and web site registered.]
{{Punjab, India}}
{{Dance}}
{{Pop music}}

[[Category:Bhangra (music)| ]]
[[Category:Punjabi music]]
[[Category:Indian styles of music]]
[[Category:Pakistani styles of music]]
[[Category:Punjabi words and phrases]]
[[Category:British culture]]
[[Category:Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Pakistani diaspora in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Dance music genres]]
[[Category:Punjabi diaspora]]
[[Category:Pop music genres]]

Bhangra (music) - Revision history

Ieagle1: minor cleanup

>HawkbitAlpha at 10:42, 19 June 2021