“Our Music of the 90s and 2000s Gave You Songs You Still Listen To”: Rabbi Shergill

Singer-songwriter Rabbi Shergill has reflected on the changing dynamics of India’s music industry, questioning whether contemporary music will have the same staying power as songs from the 1990s and 2000s.

Speaking about the evolution of the indie music ecosystem, Shergill pointed to the changing role of music labels and the A&R system that once acted as a layer of selection before music reached audiences.

“The parameters of the industry have changed a lot. The specifics have changed a lot. Earlier, there used to be a music label,” Shergill told IANS.

According to the singer-songwriter, labels previously had dedicated A&R teams, executives and gatekeepers who assessed artists and their work. While artists often viewed these decision-makers as being removed from the audience, Shergill believes the system also provided what he describes as a “basic minimum filtering.”

“Now you see that there is no basic minimum filtering. Our music of the 90s and 2000s gave you songs that you still listen to today,” he said.

Shergill cited Lucky Ali and Hariharan as examples of artists whose music continues to resonate with listeners years after its release. He questioned whether today's music will achieve a similar level of longevity.

“You may still listen to Lucky Ali and Hariharanji. So, I think in the next 20 years, we will get an answer to this. Is there any longevity in today's music?” he said.

For Shergill, the question extends beyond the lifespan of a song. He believes music’s deeper value lies in its ability to reflect personal experiences, emotions and identity.

“Does today's music tell the back story of your life? What is going on inside you? Does it give you a direction? Does it give you an expression?” he asked.

The singer-songwriter, known for blending rock, Punjabi and Sufi influences with Western arrangements, also expressed concern about the changing relationship between music and artistic expression.

“I feel that art has disappeared a little,” Shergill said.

Shergill emerged as a distinctive voice in India’s independent music space with songs such as ‘Bullah Ki Jaana’, based on a Kafi poem by Punjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah. He also lent his voice to ‘Challa’ from Yash Chopra’s 2012 film Jab Tak Hai Jaan, with music by A.R. Rahman and lyrics by Gulzar.

His comments come at a time when the music ecosystem has become increasingly accessible to independent artists, with digital platforms removing several traditional barriers to releasing music. The larger question, however, remains whether greater access and faster release cycles can translate into music with the same cultural and emotional longevity as some of the defining songs of earlier decades.