Sociocultural Factors Affecting the Pakistani Rock Musician : An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This research is focused on identifying the factors that may affect the Rock musicians of Pakistan. As a culturally diverse country, Pakistan consists of multiple genres of music with many continuing on from hundreds of years (Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage, 2015). In South Asia music has been taught in multiple ways; with classroom methods, individual training, formal notations, or just performance and repetition through ear. Religious opposition has hindered the teaching of music or any other form of art in Pakistan but it has not stopped musicians to emerge from this country. Even though western music theory or western notation was not taught here in music school (Phillips, 1965), western music gained its listenership in Pakistan which then grew into western genres being popularized. One of these genres was Rock. Rock bands and solo acts emerged in the country but many of them died down and were replaced by newer bands. Rock remains a popular genre and Rock musicians continue to emerge, but what are the challenges that a Pakistani Rock musician faces? This research tries to answer this question while trying to identify the reasons that drive the Pakistani Rock musician to continue to make music.