Arijit Singh's Retirement Is From Playback; He'll Still Earn Crores - Breaking Down Singer's Future Source Of Income

Arijit Singh decided to retire from playback at the peak of his career. The 38-year-old, who recently crooned Gehra Hua in Dhurandhar, apart from joining forces with Sonu Nigam and Diljit Dosanjh in the new version of Sandese Aate Hain (Ke Ghar Kab Aaoge) in Border 2, left the entertainment industry shocked on January 27 with the sudden announcement. Even though he assured that he won't "stop making music," fans are left heartbroken. Many even continue to wonder what Arijit's words mean and the actual reason behind his big decision. But above all, his followers are keen to know what's next for the versatile artist and what will be his source of income going forward.Agreed, Arijit's concerts are one of the biggest on-stage fiestas. He's even one of the most-streamed

artists across the globe, but is that enough to keep him relevant and running? Here's an overview of what lies ahead for the artist.

Arijit Singh's source of income after retirement

Arijit's major source of income has been from playback singing, apart from the royalties. Despite one source of income shutting doors, the royalties will continue to flow. Arijit, being the biggest singer of his generation, is at an advantage. Let me explain.Following the Copyright (Amendment) Act 2012 in India, things revolutionised for artists here. This brought a major update to the country's Copyright Act, 1957, with an aim at modernising copyright law for the digital age and fixing long-standing gaps, especially around music, films, and authors. It guaranteed composers and lyricists a non-waivable right to receive royalties for their work. The key changes before and after 2012 included mandatory equal-share royalties for song usage in films, strengthened moral rights, and provisions for performer rights.

Clause for singers and performers

The new Act called for royalties to be shared with producers. This was one of the biggest wins for creative artists in India as it provided revised rights to performers, which included singers and musicians. They now had the exclusive rights over their performances and the right to receive royalties for commercial use. Infact the protection period also increased from 25 years to 50 years. The digital rights also got recognised over covers, online streaming, downloads, internet broadcasting, and more. Now, the government has the oversight to prevent misuse of the contracts too.

How will Arijit Singh benefit?

Let's not forget, Arijit is the most-followed artist on Spotify globally with over 172 million followers, as of January 2026. He topped the rank after surpassing international artists like Taylor Swift (approx 149 million) and Ed Sheeran (approx 124 million). While it cemented his position as a dominant force in global music streaming, it also ensured Arijit's unending relevance.With the 2012 Act, Arijit benefits strongly in today's streaming world categorised by Spotify, YouTube, OTT platforms and other mediums. One, it ensures creators keep earning long after release, and two, it plays a crucial role in disputes involving music rights, films, and digital content.

Math of every click

Now, given that Arijit has presumably sung 800-900 songs across languages, and remains the most-streamed Indian artist for the past few years, he can indeed afford to retire. Arijit's songs chart high on almost every platform. Take, for instance, YouTube, where his songs have been streamed roughly 15 billion times in the last 365 days, and the numbers keep soaring every year. Arijit can just sit back and earn huge royalties in crores. Infact, even if every play brings 5 paise to him, he can easily pocket Rs 75 crore per year just from one streaming platform. Multiply this by the number of platforms we have today, and you'll get the staggering answer.

Independent music label Oriyon Music

In July 2020, Arijit launched his independent music label, Oriyon Music, marking a shift toward releasing non-film music and exercising greater creative control over his work. He has already collaborated with artists like Amaal Mallik (Dil Ko Maine Di Kasam), along with creating independent singles like Rihaa and Mukto Kore Dao.Though specific earnings from his label has not been made public, one can assume that money flows here too. If Oriyon Music owns master recordings or publishing rights, it can earn royalties when those tracks are streamed on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and other places. In such scenarios, independent artists and labels often earn a share of streaming revenue. Money also comes from digital downloads, payouts, synchronisation licenses and more. It would be foolish to think that Oriyon Music's official channel does not monetise views, along with ad revenue that's also part of its overall income.

Arijit Singh's other investments

Keeping aside assumed real estate investments and properties, Arijit opened a restaurant named 'Heshel' in his hometown of Jiaganj, Murshidabad, West Bengal. The eatery is basically managed by his father and focuses on community service, offering meals for approximately Rs 40. A small yet remarkable share of income comes from this place too.Arijit reportedly charges extremely high fees for performing at concerts. According to reports it starnds at around Rs 14 crore for a 2-hour show, roughly. And his stage shows are a massive success which are mostly sold-out.So, Arijit Singh's income flow will not stop. He'll still earn in crores. His retirement is only from playback, as other doors remain open. He might just turn a producer or become independent artist full-time. Only time will tell.