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For each track, identify the exact recording, check available repertoire records, and verify in writing the rights to both the sound recording and the underlying music and lyrics for your service, territory, term, and planned uses. A database result can help locate a claim; it does not by itself grant permission to stream.
Why one song can require more than one rights check
Indian copyright law treats musical works and sound recordings as separate protected categories. A song’s recording—the particular master or version you play—is distinct from the underlying composition and lyrics. Those layers may have different owners or authorized licensors, so permission for one does not necessarily clear the other. The Copyright Office sets out the categories in Chapter III of the Copyright Act, 1957 and defines relevant terms in Chapter I.
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This means clearance is track- and use-specific. A title appearing in a repertoire search does not establish that a claimant controls every right, territory, version, or digital use you need. The Copyright Office describes the Act’s general scope in its Hand Book of Copyright Law: it protects original works, films, and sound recordings from unauthorized uses.
Build a repeatable song-by-song clearance workflow
1. Define the exact recording and proposed use
Create one record for each version you intend to make available. Capture the title and alternate spellings, credited performers, label or release, version or edit, and release identifiers if available. Treat an original master, cover, remix, live recording, film version, and remaster as separate candidates until documents confirm otherwise.
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At the same time, write down how the stream will work: whether listeners choose individual tracks or hear a programmed stream, whether you offer previews, offline caching or downloads, lyrics display, clips, user uploads, or promotional use, and how it is monetized. These details matter because a licence grant may authorize only some modes. Do not assume that permission for one use covers the others.
2. Search PPL India’s repertoire records
Use the PPL India music-licensing FAQ and song search to check whether the relevant recording appears in PPL’s repertoire. Save the query terms, date, result, and any ambiguity in your track record. If the result is unclear or the track is absent, PPL says users can write to it; a missing result is a reason to investigate further, not evidence that the track is free to use.
For digital platforms, the distinction is especially important. PPL’s FAQ says it does not issue licences for sound-recording use on a digital platform and directs app operators to individual music labels. A PPL repertoire hit—or a licence intended for a different use—should not be treated as authorization for your digital stream.
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3. Confirm who can license the sound recording
Identify the label, producer, artist, or other party claiming the sound-recording right. Then verify that the person or organization responding has authority to license the exact recording for your service. Ask for written terms that identify:
- The recording, catalogue, and versions covered.
- Whether the grant permits interactive or non-interactive streaming, on-demand access, and any caching or downloads you plan to provide.
- The territory, start and end dates, language or versions, and monetization model.
- Any reporting, royalty, hosting, or sublicensing arrangements that apply.
- Restrictions, exclusions, and the process for disputes or takedown requests.
PPL’s guidance points digital-platform users toward individual labels, but the specific agreement and the licensor’s authority still need to be checked for each catalogue or track.
4. Investigate composition and lyric rights separately
Identify the songwriters, composers, publishers, and any collecting society or agent that claims to represent the composition or lyrics. Check both the claimed representation and the scope of the repertoire covered; do not assume that the party licensing the recording also controls these underlying rights.
A 29 October 2024 representation by the Indian Music Industry/IPRS hosted by TRAI describes separate licensing for sound recordings and underlying lyrics and compositions in the general music-streaming licensing flow. That is the submitters’ position, not a TRAI ruling. Read it as context for why the two rights layers should be checked separately, not as a decision about your particular service: Indian Music Industry/IPRS representation hosted by TRAI.
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Maintain one clearance record per track and version. Record the source of each ownership claim, contact and claimed authority, repertoire searches and dates, correspondence, executed licence documents, permitted uses, territories, dates, approved versions, restrictions, royalty and reporting obligations, and unresolved disputes or shares.
This is a practical recordkeeping method, not a statutory form. The Copyright Act’s definition of rights-management information includes identifying details, owner names and addresses, rights terms, and identifiers or codes; those are useful fields to preserve, but the definition is not itself a mandated clearance checklist. See Chapter I of the Act.
If two parties make conflicting claims, pause the track rather than choosing based on search rank or metadata. Request evidence of ownership or licensing authority from each claimant and have qualified Indian copyright counsel resolve the conflict. The available PPL information does not establish a single public registry that conclusively settles every song’s full ownership and digital-service authority.
6. Match the signed grant to the actual service
Before launch, compare your planned features against the grant, one by one: on-demand playback, radio-like programming, previews, offline storage or downloads, lyrics, clips, user uploads, and promotional use. Check that each use, version, territory, and monetization model is within scope. Keep the agreement and any written clarifications accessible to the people scheduling tracks and handling claims.
The Act contains distinct licence provisions, including provisions concerning statutory broadcasting and cover versions. They should not be presumed to provide blanket authorization for an on-demand service or any other particular product design. The application depends on the service and circumstances; confirm the current law and your model with qualified Indian copyright counsel. The Copyright Office publishes the Act’s Chapter VI licensing provisions.
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Use a clearance matrix before approving a track
A compact matrix makes gaps visible before a track enters the schedule. Keep the supporting documents alongside it rather than treating a checked box as a substitute for the licence.
| Check | Evidence to record | Approval question |
|---|---|---|
| Exact recording | Title, version, performers, label or release, identifiers, and repertoire-search result with date | Does the paperwork identify the same recording you will play? |
| Sound recording | Claimant, evidence of authority, and executed licence or written permission | Does the grant cover your proposed streaming mode, access features, territory, term, and monetization? |
| Composition and lyrics | Authors, composers, publishers or representatives, repertoire scope, and permission documents | Are the underlying-work rights and relevant shares accounted for? |
| Service features | List of playback, storage, display, promotional, and user-upload features | Are all planned uses expressly within the permission? |
| Conditions and disputes | Restrictions, reporting and royalties, takedown terms, conflicts, and unresolved gaps | Is any restriction, conflicting claim, or missing permission still open? |
Do not approve a track while a required rights layer, authority check, or use-specific permission remains unresolved. This is an operational decision rule, not a legal conclusion about ownership.
What a repertoire search can—and cannot—tell you
- It can help: identify whether a recording is listed in a particular society’s repertoire and provide a lead for follow-up.
- It cannot establish by itself: complete ownership, the authority of every claimant, clearance of the composition and lyrics, permission for a particular digital service, or coverage of every territory and feature.
- A missing or ambiguous result means: continue tracing the recording and underlying-work rights; do not infer public-domain status or permission from silence.
Or let it run in the cloud
Once your tracks are cleared for the exact uses and territories involved, StreamNeo can keep an uploaded-video playlist live on YouTube 24/7. It does not identify rights holders or provide copyright clearance; you remain responsible for permissions before uploading and streaming.
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Common clearance mistakes to avoid
- Clearing only the master: also investigate the underlying composition and lyrics.
- Assuming a repertoire match is a licence: confirm a written grant for your particular service and uses.
- Treating a negative result as permission: continue owner and authority checks when the search is empty or unclear.
- Using the right song but wrong version: verify that the cleared recording matches the actual file, including remixes, covers, live takes, and edits.
- Assuming a different licence route fits your platform: check how the grant applies to the actual service, especially for on-demand features, with qualified Indian counsel.
- Relying on informal assurances: keep written permissions, scope, restrictions, and authority evidence in the clearance file.
Rates and offers require direct, dated confirmation
There is no comparable current digital-streaming rate table established by the cited materials. Ask each prospective licensor for a dated written offer and compare the rights layer, repertoire and versions, authority, streaming mode, territory, term, monetization, storage and delivery, reporting and royalties, restrictions, and dispute or takedown terms. Do not infer one licensor’s rates or coverage from another’s offer.
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