Melodious freebies

Indians' reluctance to pay for music is not only unfair to its creators but also harmful to the economy

- PUJA MEHRA

Have you heard that kitsch Punjabi song 'Kaala Chashma' that is going viral from Spain to Africa? Who do you think should ideally get royalties for it: the Punjab Police cop who wrote it; Bollywood star Katrina Kaif, who danced to it, mainstreaming it; or the Pakistani dance troupe that popularised it through its YouTube channel?

More importantly, have you thought of paying for listening to it?

A team of researchers (colleagues of mine at the think tank, ICRIER) have studied India's music habits and markets (https://bit.ly/3LynsRa). An average Indian listens to 21.9 hours of music in a week as against the global average of 18.4 hours. Music is a big part of our quotidian lives. Most of us who grew up in the Doordarshan era, or before that the All India Radio or BBC era, associate 'khabrein' or news with the signature tunes of these broadcasters. Younger people too probably have some other contemporary music motifs in their everyday lives. People trained or untrained in music play instruments and sing in temples, gurudwaras, churches, and dargahs. Same in weddings and other cultural celebrations and gatherings. In planes, cabs, restaurants, or elevators, there's music, including pipe music, everywhere.