Musicians, including singers, lyricists, composers, and producers, copyright their works to protect them from unauthorized use or duplication. In India, musicians have established copyright societies to grant licenses for the performance or usage of copyrighted songs and to distribute royalties to their members. One such copyright society is the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS).

Membership and Purpose of IPRS Music lyricists, publishers, composers, and music owners are members of the IPRS. The IPRS License grants permission for the public performance of copyrighted music created by its members—namely, authors, composers, and publishers. The IPRS collects royalties from music consumers and distributes these earnings to its members after deducting administrative costs. This article outlines what an IPRS License is and how to obtain one.

Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) The IPRS was established in August 1969 as a non-profit organization. It is registered under the Companies Act and operates as a copyright society under the Copyright Act, demonstrating legitimate ownership of copyright. It awards IPRS Licenses to music customers for using musical and literary works under Section 33 of the Copyright Act of 1957. The IPRS has agreements with similar copyright organizations in over 50 countries, allowing for reciprocal representation of member rights internationally.

The IPRS membership includes all Indian authors, music publishers, and composers whose works are publicly performed. Definitions of key terms are as follows :

The IPRS License allows music customers to use its works. This blanket license is available for a reasonable annual charge, enabling license holders to use copyrighted works in compliance with the Copyright Act, 1957. The license authorizes the holder to publicly perform, stream, broadcast, or otherwise communicate the works controlled by IPRS on behalf of its members and affiliated societies worldwide.

An IPRS License is required for any public communication or performance of copyrighted music under its control, regardless of the entertainment type, location, or whether there is an admission charge. It covers various venues such as clubs, cinemas, dance halls, concert halls, hotels, restaurants, universities, and more, including performances by mechanical means like radio, jukeboxes, and television.

Importance of IPRS License

According to the Copyright Act, 1957, the following parties using copyrighted material have responsibilities to the copyright owner:

Purchasing a music piece, song, or recording does not entitle individuals to publicly perform the work. It only allows performance in private settings where performing rights do not apply. Therefore, anyone performing, using, or reproducing the copyrighted works of IPRS members in public must obtain an IPRS License. Additionally, platforms using music—such as television broadcasters, FM radio, and online streaming services—must secure a license from IPRS and pay the author’s royalty share. Generally, IPRS does not grant licenses to performers directly; it requires proprietors of venues and promoters of musical events to obtain licenses before using IPRS works.

The IPRS provides licenses through its registered offices. The main corporate office is located in Mumbai, with branches in: