Music licensing for corporate events is one of the most misunderstood compliance areas in Indian HR. Most companies assume that paying for Spotify Premium or a YouTube subscription covers them for playing that music at an office party, an Antakshari session, or an annual day. It does not. Not even close.<\/p>\n
Engage4More has produced 1,000+ music-based corporate events across India \u2014 including the CTC (Corporate Talent Championship) Reality Show, one of India’s largest employee music talent competitions. We have navigated the licensing landscape in detail, across every format \u2014 live performance, recorded playback, hybrid events, and live-streamed programmes. This guide distils everything we know.<\/p>\n
Disclaimer: This is informational content based on our operational experience and publicly available legal information. For specific legal advice, consult a qualified intellectual property lawyer.<\/p>\n
Every recommendation here is validated through our MORE\u00b2 Diagnostic. <\/strong>MORE\u00b2 identifies whether your team needs Motivation, Onboarding, Reward, or Education, right now. The right activity for a stable, motivated team is completely different from the right one for a newly-formed post-merger team. Learn how the MORE\u00b2 Diagnostic<\/a> works.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Why This Matters More Than Ever in 2025<\/h2>\n
Music at your corporate event is a compliance responsibility\u2014stay protected and licensed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Three things have changed the enforcement landscape dramatically in recent years:<\/p>\n
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- Social media amplification: When your employee posts a Reel or LinkedIn video from the annual day, any copyrighted music in the background triggers automatic Content ID detection. The platform mutes or removes the video \u2014 and in some cases, the rights holder pursues the original organiser.<\/li>\n
- Aggressive enforcement networks: PPL, IPRS, NOVEX, and RMPL have built large field networks that actively monitor events, venues, and digital platforms for unlicensed music use. Event organisers in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad routinely receive inspection visits.<\/li>\n
- Court cases setting precedents: Multiple High Court rulings in 2024\u20132025 have clarified that corporate events \u2014 including office parties, award nights, sales conferences, and even team building sessions \u2014 are ‘public performances’ under the Copyright Act, 1957, and require appropriate licensing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The fundamental legal principle: <\/strong>Under Section 51 of the Copyright Act, 1957, any public communication of a copyrighted sound recording, whether played from Spotify, YouTube, a USB, or a DJ system, requires a licence from the rights holder. ‘Public’ includes any setting beyond a domestic home and private vehicle. Your office party, your Antakshari session, your annual day \u2014 all qualify.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Four Licensing Bodies \u2014 Who They Are and What They Cover<\/h2>\n
Navigating the music licensing landscape: IPRS, PPL, NOVEX, and RMPL govern different musical rights. Ensure your corporate event is fully compliant by understanding the specific coverage of each body<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n In India, music rights for sound recordings are managed by four primary bodies. The critical \u2014 and frequently misunderstood \u2014 point is that they cover different rights and different label catalogues. Getting a license from one does not cover you under the others.<\/p>\n
IPRS \u2014 Indian Performing Right Society<\/strong><\/h3>\n
India’s only registered copyright society for musical compositions and lyrics<\/em><\/p>\n
Governs:<\/strong> The underlying musical composition (tune\/melody) and the lyrics of a song. IPRS represents the songwriter, composer, and music publisher \u2014 not the record label. If you play any song that has an IPRS member’s tune or lyrics, you need an IPRS licence regardless of which label released it.<\/p>\n
Key label members:<\/strong> All major Indian composers, lyricists, and music publishers \u2014 including virtually every Bollywood song ever written<\/p>\n
Website:<\/strong> iprs.org<\/p>\n
Rate card\/tariffs:<\/strong> iprs.org\/tariffs\/ (Live event tariff, Online\/hybrid event LSE tariff)<\/p>\n
PPL \u2014 Phonographic Performance Limited<\/strong><\/h3>\n
India’s largest performance rights organisation for sound recordings<\/em><\/p>\n
Governs:<\/strong> The sound recording (the actual recorded version of the song) \u2014 separate from the composition. PPL represents the record labels that produced and own the master recording. Founded in 1941, PPL now manages 7.9 million+ sound recordings across 450+ labels.<\/p>\n
Key label members:<\/strong> T-Series \u00b7 Sony Music Entertainment \u00b7 Universal Music \u00b7 Warner Music \u00b7 Lahari Music \u00b7 Speed Records \u00b7 Aditya Music \u00b7 Venus \u00b7 and 440+ other labels<\/p>\n
Website:<\/strong> pplindia.org<\/p>\n
Rate card\/tariffs:<\/strong> pplindia.org\/tariffs (revised effective April 1, 2025)<\/p>\n
NOVEX Communications<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Public performance rights organisation representing a significant Bollywood catalogue<\/em><\/p>\n
Governs:<\/strong> Sound recording public performance rights for its member labels \u2014 a separate and significant catalogue from PPL. NOVEX is not a registered copyright society (unlike IPRS and RMPL), but operates as a direct representative of its label members under contract.<\/p>\n
Key label members:<\/strong> Saregama (India’s oldest label, pre-independence catalogue) \u00b7 Yash Raj Films \u00b7 Tips Music \u00b7 Zee Music Company \u00b7 Think Music (SPI) \u00b7 Red Ribbon Entertainment \u00b7 Daler Mehndi (DRecords) \u00b7 Gurdas Maan \u00b7 Mika Singh \u00b7 Kalamkaar Music<\/p>\n
Website:<\/strong> novex.in<\/p>\n
Rate card\/tariffs:<\/strong> novex.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Events_Rate_Card_WB.pdf (effective July 2025)<\/p>\n
RMPL \u2014 Recorded Music Performance Limited<\/strong><\/h3>\n
India’s registered copyright society for sound recording public performance rights<\/em><\/p>\n
Governs:<\/strong> Sound recording public performance and radio broadcasting rights for its member music labels. Registered as a copyright society by the Registrar of Copyrights in June 2021 \u2014 making it the only government-registered body for sound recording licensing (PPL’s application remains pending as of 2025). A landmark Delhi High Court ruling in 2025 held that PPL must become an RMPL member to license its catalogue \u2014 a ruling currently under Supreme Court review.<\/p>\n
Key label members:<\/strong> Multiple non-film and film music labels across regional and national markets<\/p>\n
Website:<\/strong> rmplindia.org<\/p>\n
Rate card\/tariffs:<\/strong> rmplindia.org (contact for tariff schedule)<\/p>\n
The practical implication \u2014 you likely need multiple licences: <\/strong>A typical Bollywood-themed Antakshari or Musical Tambola at your office will use songs from multiple catalogues. Songs from the 1990s (Saregama) need NOVEX. Songs from current T-Series films need PPL. The underlying composition of every song needs IPRS. For a hybrid or live-streamed event, you need the streaming equivalent of each licence too. This is why most companies running music events without specialist support are unknowingly exposed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Saregama\u2013PPL Split \u2014 A 2025 Shake-Up Every Event Manager Should Know<\/h2>\n
With Saregama no longer under the PPL umbrella, your old licensing assumptions might leave you exposed. Ensure your event is fully covered by understanding this critical separation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Until early 2025, Saregama \u2014 India’s oldest music label, owner of decades of Hindi, regional, and classical music, was represented by PPL for public performance rights. This meant a single PPL licence covered a massive swathe of Indian music history.<\/p>\n
That changed. Saregama exited PPL and moved its catalogue to NOVEX Communications for public performance rights. This single change has significant practical implications:<\/p>\n
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- Any corporate event playing pre-1990s Bollywood classics, old Hindi film songs, or Saregama’s extensive regional catalogue now requires a NOVEX licence \u2014 not PPL.<\/li>\n
- Event planners who relied on PPL alone for historical Indian music are now exposed without realising it.<\/li>\n
- The Delhi High Court’s 2025 ruling that PPL must licence through RMPL is currently stayed by the Supreme Court, creating ongoing legal uncertainty about the precise relationship between PPL and RMPL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The honest summary of the current situation: <\/strong>India’s music licensing landscape in 2025 is genuinely complex and in active legal flux. The safest approach for a corporate event is to obtain licences from IPRS (for all compositions) + PPL (for their current catalogue) + NOVEX (for Saregama, YRF, Tips, Zee Music, and others), and take professional advice on RMPL depending on your specific event scope. This is exactly why engage4more maintains current licences across all bodies for the events we produce.<\/p>\n
Online, Hybrid, and Live-Streamed Events \u2014 A Separate Licence Stack<\/h2>\n
Whether your event is in-person, fully virtual, or hybrid, the licensing requirements follow. Ensure your digital streams and physical gatherings are both fully compliant with Indian copyright law<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Here is where most companies are most exposed. An in-person event and its live stream or recording are legally distinct uses requiring separate licences.<\/p>\n
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\n Scenario<\/strong><\/td>\n What You Need<\/strong><\/td>\n Why<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n In-person event only (no recording, no stream)<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS Events Licence + PPL Events Licence + NOVEX Events Licence<\/td>\n Playing music publicly in a venue = public performance. All three cover different rights.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Event recorded and shared internally (WhatsApp, company intranet)<\/strong><\/td>\n Same as above. Internal sharing still constitutes reproduction of a sound recording.<\/td>\n The Copyright Act covers reproduction regardless of audience size. ‘Private’ internal sharing is not a legal defence.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Event live-streamed on Zoom \/ Teams for remote employees<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS LSE Tariff (Live Streaming of Online Events) + PPL streaming licence + NOVEX streaming rights<\/td>\n The live stream is a separate ‘communication to the public’ \u2014 requiring a distinct licence even if only employees watch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Event live-streamed on YouTube \/ Facebook Live<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS LSE Tariff + platform’s existing music agreements may partially cover you \u2014 but NOT completely. YouTube’s Content ID will flag and mute copyrighted music regardless.<\/td>\n YouTube and Facebook have blanket deals with some rights holders but not all. Your stream may be partially muted, partially blocked, or result in a claim against your account.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Recorded video posted publicly (YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram Reels)<\/strong><\/td>\n Synchronisation licence required (separate from performance licence) + all of the above.<\/td>\n Sync rights cover music used alongside video. This is a completely separate right from public performance \u2014 and one that YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn will automatically flag via Content ID.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n The Wedding Exemption \u2014 What the Courts Have Said<\/h2>\n
This section is relevant because many HR teams assume that if weddings can use music without licences, office parties and celebrations should similarly be exempt. This is incorrect.<\/p>\n
What Section 52(1)(za) says<\/h3>\n
The Copyright Act, 1957 includes an exemption under Section 52(1)(za) for ‘the performance of a literary, dramatic or musical work or the communication to the public of such work or of a sound recording in the course of any bona fide religious ceremony or an official ceremony.’ The explanation clarifies that ‘religious ceremony’ includes ‘a marriage procession and other social festivities associated with a marriage.’<\/p>\n
The legal history \u2014 a contested landscape<\/h3>\n
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- DPIIT Notice (July 2023):<\/strong> The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade issued a notice confirming that marriages and associated functions fall under the Section 52(1)(za) exemption \u2014 directing copyright societies not to demand licences for such events.<\/li>\n
- Delhi HC Interim Order (January 2024):<\/strong> In Canvas Communication vs. Phonographic Performance Limited, the Delhi High Court directed the plaintiff to deposit fees for wedding events as an interim measure \u2014 without ruling definitively on the exemption. This created significant legal uncertainty.<\/li>\n
- Bombay HC (August 2024):<\/strong> The Bombay High Court quashed a Goa government circular that had sought to exempt wedding music from licensing requirements \u2014 holding that executive notices cannot override statutory copyright rights.<\/li>\n
- Supreme Court \u2014 IPRS vs. Sanjay Dalia (2015):<\/strong> The Supreme Court held that playing music at marriage functions in commercial venues (hotels, banquet halls, lawns) constitutes public performance requiring permission from rights holders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The bottom line on weddings: <\/strong>The wedding exemption under Section 52(1)(za) remains legally contested as of 2025. It may apply to genuinely private, non-commercial ceremonies at home \u2014 but music played in hotels, banquet halls, or commercial venues for weddings requires licensing, per multiple court rulings. And crucially, none of this applies to corporate events. Office parties, team building sessions, annual days, and employee engagement events are commercial events \u2014 the exemption does not apply.<\/p>\n
The Penalties \u2014 Why This Is Not a Risk Worth Taking<\/h2>\n
Compliance isn’t just about avoiding a legal notice\u2014it\u2019s about protecting your brand\u2019s reputation and ensuring you can focus on creating memorable experiences. Choose the path of protection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Under the Copyright Act, 1957, playing copyrighted music without a licence is a criminal offence \u2014 not just a civil matter. Here is the penalty structure:<\/p>\n
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\n Section<\/strong><\/td>\n Offence<\/strong><\/td>\n Penalty<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Section 63 (first offence)<\/strong><\/td>\n Knowingly infringes or abets infringement of copyright in any work<\/td>\n Imprisonment: minimum 6 months, up to 3 years Fine: minimum \u20b950,000, up to \u20b92,00,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Section 63A (repeat offence)<\/strong><\/td>\n Second or subsequent conviction for copyright infringement<\/td>\n Imprisonment: minimum 1 year, up to 3 years Fine: minimum \u20b91,00,000, up to \u20b92,00,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Civil liability<\/strong><\/td>\n Rights holder sues for damages in civil court<\/td>\n Actual damages + any profits earned from the infringing use + court’s discretionary additional damages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n IPRS penalty surcharge<\/strong><\/td>\n Non-compliant licensees seeking to regularise past infringement<\/td>\n 30% surcharge above existing tariff rates, at IPRS discretion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n IPRS streaming penalty<\/strong><\/td>\n Non-compliance for live streaming events seeking to regularise<\/td>\n Minimum 50% additional fee above existing LSE tariff rates<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Seizure powers<\/strong><\/td>\n Section 64 \u2014 police officer of sub-inspector rank or above<\/td>\n Can seize infringing equipment without a warrant if copyright offence suspected. No court order required.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n The enforcement network \u2014 do not underestimate it: <\/strong>PPL, IPRS, and NOVEX maintain active field teams that visit events, hotels, venues, and corporate offices. They monitor LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for unlicensed event content. They use automated Content ID systems on digital platforms. The Delhi High Court’s 2025 ruling against PPL for ‘arbitrary tariffs’ (the Al-Hamd case, May 2025) shows courts are willing to scrutinise their practices \u2014 but this does not make unlicensed use legal. The enforcement machinery is real, active, and growing.<\/p>\n
Activities That Typically Require Licensing \u2014 and What engage4more Does<\/h2>\n
From Antakshari to live band competitions, we ensure every note at your corporate event is legally licensed and stress-free<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Every music-based activity we list in our catalogue triggers licensing requirements. Here’s an honest breakdown:<\/p>\n
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\n Activity<\/strong><\/td>\n Licences Typically Required<\/strong><\/td>\n Engage4More’s Approach<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Antakshari<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS (compositions) + PPL and\/or NOVEX (sound recordings if any are played)<\/td>\n We hold current event licences across bodies. All engage4more Antakshari sessions are covered.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Musical Tambola<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS + PPL + NOVEX (song clips played during the game)<\/td>\n All song clips used in engage4more Musical Tambola are from licensed catalogues.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n War of Bands \/ Singing Competition<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS (compositions performed) + PPL\/NOVEX (if original recordings played as backing tracks)<\/td>\n engage4more advises clients on backing track usage. Original recordings require additional clearance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n DJ Night \/ Dance Party<\/strong><\/td>\n IPRS + PPL + NOVEX (comprehensive coverage needed for DJ sets)<\/td>\n DJ sets should use licenced sets or original compositions. engage4more production team advises on compliant formats.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Hybrid event with live stream<\/strong><\/td>\n All of the above + IPRS LSE Tariff + PPL\/NOVEX streaming rights<\/td>\n engage4more’s production team designs hybrid events with streaming compliance built in from the brief stage.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n LinkedIn\/YouTube post of event highlights<\/strong><\/td>\n Sync rights required (from each label individually) \u2014 typically not covered by event licences<\/td>\n engage4more advises clients to use original music or Creative Commons music in any posted content, or obtain sync clearances.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Our Credential in This Space<\/h2>\n
From large-scale reality shows to hybrid conferences, engage4more manages the music licensing complexity so you can focus on the experience<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n engage4more produced the CTC (Corporate Talent Championship) Reality Show \u2014 a large-format employee music talent competition across corporate offices. Running a show of this scale \u2014 with live singing, recorded backing tracks, broadcast elements, and social media distribution \u2014 required us to work through the full licensing stack across IPRS, PPL, and NOVEX in detail.<\/p>\n
That experience is what informs every music activity we design today. When you book an Antakshari, a Musical Tambola, or a War of Bands through Engage4More, the licensing compliance is built into the engagement from the start \u2014 not added as an afterthought. We’ve lived this. We know the cost of getting it wrong.<\/p>\n
The engage4more licensing principle: <\/strong>We believe the creative output of every Indian songwriter, composer, singer, and producer deserves to be compensated. Licensing is not bureaucracy \u2014 it is the mechanism that sustains the music industry that makes all our events possible. We pay for it. And we build that cost transparently into our quotes.<\/p>\n
Quick Reference \u2014 Licensing Body URLs<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ChatGPT-Image-May-25-2026-04_57_18-PM-1024x683.webp\" "\\"Corporate")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ChatGPT-Image-May-25-2026-05_00_11-PM-1024x683.webp\" "\\"Understanding")
![\"An](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ChatGPT-Image-May-25-2026-05_37_01-PM-1024x683.webp\" "\\"The")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ChatGPT-Image-May-25-2026-05_04_07-PM-1024x683.webp\" "\\"Music")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ChatGPT-Image-May-25-2026-05_06_59-PM-1024x683.webp\" "\\"The")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/e8b41789-f44c-4e03-bcd7-b733e2d0b1fc-1024x837.webp\" "\\"Corporate")
![\"An](\"https:\/\/engage4more.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/b555239b-b66b-4ec4-ab4c-cae820fe4167-1024x683.webp\" "\\"Trusted")