Music Stories welcomes one of the architects of India’s iconic 90s pop era. From discovering and nurturing stars like Baba Sehgal, Shaan, Shweta Shetty, and Adnan Sami to shaping a golden age of storytelling through music, this episode dives deep into how pop music was created, why it faded, and what today’s artists can learn from it.

We unpack what “good music” really means, the myth of independent music in India, how streaming and digital platforms reshaped the industry (and mostly didn’t help artists), and why creators earn a fraction of what labels and publishers do. The conversation also explores publishing vs distribution, metadata, copyright, virality versus quality, marketing strategies for indie artists, and the future challenges facing the music business.

A must-listen for musicians, creators, and anyone serious about understanding how music actually works—behind the scenes.

Music makes billions. Artists make peanuts.

Who really makes money from music—and who doesn’t?

Streaming, Royalties & Digital Rights: The Contracts That Keep Artists Poor

In Part 2 of this series on music copyright, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi is in conversation with Sanjay Tandon, a leading advocate for performers’ rights in the Indian music industry.

Sanjay Tandon played a key role in shaping the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) into a government-recognised copyright body and later went on to found ISAMRA—the Indian Singers and Musicians Rights Association. In this episode, he breaks down how copyright laws, royalty structures, and industry practices have historically failed singers and musicians, and what has changed—and still needs to change—in the digital era.

Together, they explore who really earns from music, why performers were left out of the system for decades, and what fair compensation should actually look like in today’s music economy.

Music makes billions. Artists stay broke.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi pulls apart the uncomfortable truth behind music copyright—who controls it, who profits from it, and why the people who actually create the music are often left with nothing. From outdated laws and one-sided contracts to the quiet transfer of artists’ rights to corporations, this episode exposes how a system designed to protect creativity ended up monetising it for everyone except the creators.

This is not a rant. It’s a reality check.

In this episode, Suchitra sits down with singer, songwriter Kaveri Kapur for a refreshingly honest conversation about growing up creative, finding your own voice in a noisy world, and choosing authenticity over expectation. Kaveri an alumni from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, made her acting debut in the film Bobby aur Rishi ki Love Story which released on Valentines day 2025 on Jio Hotstar. In this episode of The Music Stories, Suchitra and Kaveri talk music, self-doubt, independence, and the quiet courage it takes to stay soft in an industry that rewards hardness. Thoughtful, funny, and deeply human — this is a must listen for all lovers of music and film.

In this episode, Suchitra unpacks the wild relationship between lyrics and music — where they come from, why they matter, and how they hijack our brains.

She travels from ancient Greek lyres to Kabir, The Beatles, Guru Dutt, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Honey Singh, and the entire roller-coaster that is Bollywood’s lyrical history. Expect spicy commentary on hyper-sexualized tracks, poetic gems, accidental comedy, earworms you can’t delete, and the psychology behind why “controversial” lyrics somehow keep topping charts.

And then comes the finale — mondegreens. Misheard lyrics, hilarious mess-ups, and the strange science of why our ears betray us every time.

It’s witty, it’s honest, it’s fully Suchitra-coded. If you’ve ever wondered why some songs move you while others make you question humanity, this episode is your jam.

This episode takes you on a sonic journey from the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll to the heart of Bollywood. Elvis Presley — the poor boy from Tupelo who shook the world with his hips and his heartbreak — meets R.D. Burman, the royal-born prodigy who fused Indian melodies with global grooves and rewrote the rules of Hindi film music.

Suchitra dives into their parallels: their meteoric rise, their innovations, their battles with controlling forces, and their heartbreaking final chapters. From Elvis’ gospel-blues roots and cultural explosion to Panchamda’s rock-infused Bollywood revolution, we explore how both artists became the soundtracks of entire generations.

Their stories cross continents, but their legacies hit the same emotional frequency — bold, timeless, and deeply human. A tribute to two legends who changed music forever.

In this opening episode of The Music Stories, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi traces the mystical roots of melody — sharing intriguing anecdotes about the origins of music. From the very first documented song to the deep spiritual significance of the sound "Om," Suchitra explores how melody, rhythm, and sound have shaped our world. She also uncovers the profound connection between music and nature.

Whether you're passionate about music theory or simply curious about its ancient roots, this episode will deepen your appreciation for the universal language of sound.

Through story, voice, and emotion, The Divine Origin of Music invites listeners to rediscover sound as prayer, rhythm as memory, and art as a form of worship.

© 2025 The Crackajack Company / Suchitra Krishnamoorthi. All rights reserved