In the quiet rooms where lyrics are born and the dim studios where beats pulse into the night, Malaysia’s musicians are creating art that resonates; but the financial echo is faint.
Despite the global reach of platforms like YouTube and Spotify, many local artistes are still waiting for fair returns on their creativity.
For music industry veteran Datuk Norman Abdul Halim of KRU, the royalty issue is more than just numbers, it is a long-standing structural wound that the industry has not quite healed.
Norman, a founding member of Malaysia’s iconic group KRU, knows the music business inside out. And after decades in the game, he is blunt about the current reality.
"The reality of the local music scene in Malaysia is that income from digital platforms like YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music remains relatively small compared to international artistes.
"Local artistes only hold an estimated 30 to 40 per cent of the market share, with a significant portion of revenue flowing overseas.
"While public performance royalties from radio, television, and live performances have shown improvements in annual collections, the earnings still fall short, especially for artistes.
"From the perspective of labels and publishers, royalties may appear acceptable, but artistes themselves often receive far less than what they deserve,” he said in an interview with Sinar Daily.
That discrepancy between perceived success and actual earnings lies at the heart of a fragmented industry.
While record labels and music publishers may see decent returns, the artistes—those writing, composing and performing—are often last in line when the checks are cut. And despite years of advocacy and reform attempts, the underlying issues persist.
"Over the years, there have been many initiatives aimed at resolving royalty issues in Malaysia, but the effort has been exhausting. Music publishers, through bodies like the Music Authors' Copyright Protection (MACP), should ideally prioritise the interests of songwriters and composers.
"However, the reality is that the local industry is fragmented. Artistes and record labels operate separately, without a unified structure.
"Ideally, record companies should continue to support and manage their artistes, but in Malaysia, once an artiste’s contract ends, they are often left to fend for themselves,” he added.
Norman highlighted that many artistes, songwriters and composers often do not possess the administrative or business skills needed to manage their own affairs, which further complicates the situation.
He emphasised that their strengths lie in performance and recording, not in areas like management or copyright enforcement. This gap reveals a deeper structural challenge that calls for continued collaboration between artistes and labels, even after official contracts have ended.
He also clarified that the issue is not always rooted in a lack of transparency.
"The root of the problem is not necessarily a lack of transparency, but rather a lack of unity. There is no collective effort to reach shared goals.
"If all stakeholders like artistes, labels, publishers could come together, acknowledge each other’s strengths and be willing to compromise, the industry could move toward a more sustainable and supportive ecosystem,” he urged.
But it is not all gloom. The digital age brings its own silver linings.
"Social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube have become significant contributors to royalty income for both labels and artistes.
"In today’s digital age, content shared on social media that incorporates music is not a threat, it actually supports the industry. These platforms pay royalties to labels, who in turn pay the artistes,” he said.
Still, he warns about the darker side of digital culture: unauthorised uploads of full concerts or performances, often posted without the artistes’ consent.
He pointed to the case of GenKRU, where illegal recordings of full shows have surfaced online, jeopardising paid shows in other cities, including Singapore.
"It is like live streaming a movie from a cinema. It is clearly unethical and unlawful. Thankfully, these types of videos usually get taken down fast.
"In contrast, when social media users simply feature music clips in their own creative content, the system functions as intended, thanks to built-in royalty tracking and proper licensing agreements,” he clarified.
The future of Malaysian music hinges on solidarity and as the beat goes on in Malaysia’s music industry, Norman’s call for unity is more than just an idea, it is a blueprint for the future.
The rhythm may already be strong; now, it is time to get the royalties in sync.