Madras High Court rules that Ilaiyaraaja cannot claim sole ownership of songs: Legal battle continues

In a recent legal battle at the Madras High Court, composer Ilaiyaraaja was unable to claim sole ownership of 4500 songs due to the collaborative nature of song creation. The court emphasized that there are no songs without lyrics and that various individuals contribute to the creation of a song, including lyricists and singers. While Ilaiyaraaja may own the musical notes, the court argued that the entirety of the song belongs to the producer, especially once the composer has been compensated for their work. The outcome of Ilaiyaraaja’s appeal over the ownership of these songs will influence his commercial transactions with music streaming platforms. The court questioned whether he could be the sole owner of the songs, particularly since the lyrics are often written by someone else. This legal battle will continue as the debate over song ownership unfolds.