ISAMRA to Create Historic Landmark: First Time in Indian History Musicians & Chorus Singers Will Receive Royalties

The Indian Singers’ and Musicians’ Rights Association (ISAMRA) will create history with a landmark step announced at its 12th Annual General Meeting. For the first time in Indian music history, royalties will be distributed not only to singers but also to musicians, chorus singers, and session artists.

The musicians and chorus singers will receive their royalties at the hands of Sanjay Tandon, Founder and MD — ISAMRA, along with legendary artistes Sonu Nigam, Anup Jalota, Hariharan, Udit Narayan, Anuradha Paudwal, Jaspinder Narula, Sudesh Bhosale, Shailendra Singh, and others.

In its first phase, 62 musicians out of 88 members and 40 chorus singers out of 61 will receive their dues, with more to follow as additional details are furnished by Musicians & Chorus Singers. ISAMRA will distribute ₹4.5 crore in royalties to non-featured musicians and singers. Top 5-performing tracks such as Kesariya, Raatan Lambiyaan, Rangi Saari, Srivalli, and Bijli Bijli have generated royalties for musicians, while chorus singers will benefit from their contributions to evergreen songs like Kal Ho Na Ho, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai, Ji Huzoor, and Saat Samundar Paar.

Sanjay Tandon, Founder of ISAMRA, stated:

“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. Together with singers, musicians and chorus singers will now be getting their royalties. With 62 musicians and 40 chorus singers set to receive royalties, this is only the beginning. The most difficult part will be identifying non-featured artistes, and their meta data. We urge them to come forward and become ISAMRA members and assist in furthering Performer's Rights in India. We will be more than happy to see them benefit from the rights that are rightfully theirs.”

With this landmark step, ISAMRA will ensure that every note — whether sung or played — will finally be valued, rewriting the future of the Indian music ecosystem.