The Khari Bulbul Music Festival was founded in 1989 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani khananda Seyid Shushinski.

[citation needed] The festival began with a performance by young singers aged 12 to 15, who sang the mugham "Karabakh Shikastasi".

Later, the event took place with the participation of Japan, the United States, Turkey, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Austria, Afghanistan and the USSR countries.

[5] Among the performances at the Aghdam festival, the song "Sona Bulbullar" by People's Artist of Azerbaijan Gadir Rustamov, which is included in the "Golden Fund" of Azerbaijani music, stood out.

However, due to the outbreak of the Karabakh war and the capture of Shusha by Armenian forces on 8 May, the festival was cancelled.

[10] The festival's opening concert began with the "Vatan Suite" performed by the Azerbaijan State Song and Dance Ensemble.

The song "Karabakh Shikastasi" was then performed by khanandas Ilkin Ahmadov, Babek Niftaliyev [az], and Sabina Arabli.