In a watershed moment for Indian music, the Indian Singers’ and Musicians’ Rights Association (ISAMRA) has announced a landmark step at its 12th Annual General Meeting — royalties will now be distributed not just to singers but also to musicians, chorus singers, and session artistes. It is the first time in Indian music history that every contributor to a song will share in its value.
The first phase will see 62 musicians and 40 chorus singers receive their dues. Royalties will be handed over by ISAMRA Founder and MD Sanjay Tandon, alongside ISAMRA Chairman Anup Jalota and legends such as Sonu Nigam, Hariharan, Udit Narayan, Anuradha Paudwal, Jaspinder Narula, Sudesh Bhosle, Shailendra Singh among others.
Sonu Nigam, who travelled a long distance just to be part of the moment and share it with musicians and chorus singers, summed up the milestone: “What began as a small effort has now taken shape into something historic. For the first time, singers, musicians, and chorus singers are getting their rightful royalties through ISAMRA. The faith of the community has always been our pillar of strength, and it is this trust that inspires ISAMRA to work tirelessly for the rights of every artiste in the music fraternity.”
ISAMRA Founder Sanjay Tandon echoed the sentiment: “This will be a first in Indian history. Never before have musicians and chorus singers received royalties. We have fought for this for years, and now I stand proud to see it become reality. The most difficult part will be identifying non-featured artistes and their metadata. We urge them to come forward, join ISAMRA, and claim what is rightfully theirs.”
Anup Jalota underlined the importance of membership: “Unless you become a member, you cannot collect your royalties. At ISAMRA, we charge ₹10,000 from singers for lifetime membership, and ₹2,000 from musicians, adjustable against royalties.”
For Jaspinder Narula, the initiative is deeply personal: “I am very happy that ISAMRA is a medium to enable the music community to receive their dues, and I am grateful to be part of such a great movement.”
Veteran Shailendra Singh framed it as a long-awaited triumph: “It has been a long battle, and this is only just the beginning of royalties to come.”
With ₹4.5 crore earmarked for distribution and songs ranging from new chartbusters like Kesariya and Raatan Lambiyaan to evergreen anthems like Kal Ho Naa Ho and Saat Samundar Paar generating dues, ISAMRA has truly rewritten the music rights landscape. For the first time, every note — whether sung or played — will carry its rightful weight.
