Daboo Malik on Amaal Mallik's royalty concerns, says 'can't compare to music labels as their investment is much higher'
Mumbai, April 27
Music composer Daboo Malik, in an exclusive conversation with, has opened up on his perspective on the ongoing conversation around royalty in the music industry, that was initially sparked by his son, singer-composer Amaal Mallik.
Reacting to Amaal's recent remarks about a singer not receiving royalties proportionate to a song's success, Daboo acknowledged the concern but also pointed out the complexities around it.
Amaal had recently shared how despite a single of his having gone viral, the music label earned in crores but he just received a comparatively much less amount.
Sharing his take, Daboo explained, "Today, we also run our own music label, and it's not easy. There are many factors involved. I understand that when an artist achieves international success or has a viral song globally, the earnings can be very high. But here, the structure is different."
He further elaborated on how the ecosystem works in India. "If you succeed in independent music today, you are still earning substantial royalties. Artists are making crores through royalties. However, these earnings can never be equal to a music company's revenue because their investment and system are much larger."
Despite the disparity, the composer expressed of seeing it change and remained optimistic about the future. "In the coming era, everyone will get a better and more equal share of royalties," he added.
For the uninitiated, recently, Amaal Mallik had mentioned in an interview that he had made a song that people people loved. He added that while he earned around Rs 1.5 lakh, the music company made much more money, probably in crores. Amaal had expressed disappointment in the royalty structure saying that he didn't get what he deserved.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's complicated yaar. Amaal is right that artists are underpaid for viral hits, but labels do invest heavily in marketing. Maybe a middle ground where successful songs have a sliding royalty scale? Also, independent artists today earn well through streaming if they know how to use it. Good insight from Daboo Malik though! 🎵
Amaal should take it up with his label instead of complaining publicly. Everyone knows the game—labels take the lion's share because they take the financial risk. If you want more, become independent like some artists are doing. Daboo is just speaking from experience as a label owner himself.
As someone who follows global music trends, I think the Indian industry is way behind on artist compensation. In the West, advances and royalty splits are more transparent. But Daboo isn't wrong—labels do pump in crores for production, videos, and promotion. The solution? Better contracts and artist education. Both sides need to grow up.
I think people forget that Amaal himself comes from a privileged film family. His father and uncle are established composers. So this feels like an internal industry tussle more than a grassroots artist struggle. But still, the point about royalty reform is valid for all small-time musicians who get even less. Daboo is just protecting his label interests, let's be real.
Both have valid points. Amaal earned 1.5 lakh for a viral song while label made crores—that's unfair. But Daboo says labels invest more, which is
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.