Ten Nepali albums that defined the decade

Choosing ten albums from a decade this rich was never going to be easy. These are the records that changed what Nepali music could sound like — and who got to make it.

The list

1. Loadshedding Lullabies — The Kathmandu Drift
2. Sahar (EP) — Aakash Rai
3. Ghatu Sessions — Sunita Gurung
4. Concrete Monsoon — Bhairav Beats
5. Nilo — Maya Thapa
6. Above the Tea Gardens — Himal Echoes
7. Ring Road Tapes — various artists
8. Dhulo — Kalo Pahad
9. Sano Sansar — The Lakeside Collective
10. Bato — Rupa & the Rivers

Why these?

Each of these records either opened a door — a new sound, a new scene, a new way of releasing music — or proved that independent Nepali artists could compete with anything on the global playlists.

Disagree? Good. Tell us your list.