Talha hails Atif's legacy after dethroning him

Singer named Pakistan's most-streamed artist

"There are charts and then there's legacy," wrote Talha Anjum about Atif Aslam after dethroning him as Pakistan's most-streamed artist of 2024 on Spotify. "What Atif bhai is to Pakistani music, to his millions of fans around the world, including me, is more than any chart or any number. Let's not deviate from the real facts here, people," he continued on his Instagram Story.

As half of Karachi based rap duo Young Stunners, Talha's humble acknowledgment of Atif's influence came as he took the top spot in place of the iconic singer, who had held it for three consecutive years. The milestone marks a significant moment in Pakistan's music scene, as a younger generation of artists comes forward.

Spotify Wrapped 2024, the annual roundup of streaming data, highlighted Talha's phenomenal year, during which he released multiple hits. Joining him at the top of the list of most-streamed local artists are rising star Umair in second place and then Atif in third. The timeless Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and fellow Young Stunners member Talhah Yunus completed the top five. Other prominent names included Abdul Hannan, AUR, Hasan Raheem, and Maanu.

Internationally, Indian artists continued to dominate Pakistani airwaves. Arijit Singh was once again the most-streamed international artist in Pakistan, followed by Pritam, Karan Aujla, Shubh, and Sidhu Moose Wala.

In the category of female artists, Annural Khalid made waves as Pakistan's most-streamed female artist of the year. Earlier recognised as the first Pakistani woman featured on Spotify's RADAR program, she solidified her position with her collaboration with Maanu on Jhol, which became the most-streamed Pakistani song of 2024. Other popular tracks included Hasan Raheem, Umair, and Talwiinder's Wishes, and AUR's Tu Hai Kahan which also gained popularity due to a collaboration with former One Direction member Zayn Malik.

The year also celebrated the rise of emerging talent. Aashir Wajahat, NAYEL, and Nehaal Naseem garnered acclaim for their song Sadqay, while Abdul Hannan and Rovalio maintained a strong presence with hits like Bikhra and Iraaday.

On the album front, Umair's ROCKSTAR WITHOUT A GUITAR led the rankings for top albums by Pakistani artists, followed by Talha Anjum's Open Letter and Imran Khan's Unforgettable. Classics like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Reformed and Asim Azhar's BEMATLAB also made the cut.