Managing Rights

Managing the rights of those behind the words and melodies is a crucial role of a music copyright society. IPRS ensures that the intellectual property rights of Music Makers are protected and that they receive fair compensation for their creative works. Managing rights includes monitoring the use of music, collecting royalties from music users, and distributing those royalties to the appropriate members. Music Copyright societies like IPRS allows creators to focus on creating music while also ensuring that they are properly compensated for their creations, which in turn encourages continued creativity and innovation in the field of music.

Member Outreach and Engagement Programs

We understand that the journey of a music creator can be challenging, and we want to be there every step of the way. We proactively reach out to our members and potential members through various programs across the country to provide valuable information on how to protect their work, earn more from their music, and make the most of their creative potential. We don’t just stop there. We also collaborate with industry bodies, institutions, music stakeholders, and associations to educate and build awareness. Our goal is to create a community of empowered and informed creators and publishers who can thrive in an evolving music industry. So whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, we invite you to join us and discover all the opportunities that await you as a member of IPRS.

Learn and Earn

Learn and Earn

One of our key initiatives is the pan-India knowledge program called "Learn and Earn," which is designed to help our members stay up-to-date with the requirements of being a modern-day music maker. These workshops are led by experienced IPRS members, subject experts, and veterans from the music industry, and cover a wide range of topics, including members' rights, the role of CMOs like IPRS, and the latest technology and trends shaping music careers. By participating in these engaging training sessions, our members can unlock new opportunities and pave the way for a thriving future for themselves and the Indian music industry as a whole.

Causes We Support

The music industry is constantly evolving, and it is important for creators to be able to protect their rights and receive fair compensation for their creativity. Hence, IPRS, in a complex music landscape is dedicated to supporting its members, in every way possible.
IPRS believes that denying creators their due credit and remuneration can dampen creativity and harm the flow of music content in the future …the reason why IPRS is on a determined mission to safeguard the rights of its members and offer them appropriate value for their creative efforts.
Through our initiatives and campaigns, we aim to voice our concerns and raise awareness on issues that plague the future of music and creativity. We are committed to building a strong and vibrant music industry that benefits everyone involved, from music creators to music lovers.

License Liya Kya?

An awareness campaign to promote Fair Play and Fair Pay for Music

Fair play and fair pay are essential components of a thriving and sustainable music industry. The impact of fair compensation for music makers cannot be overstated, as it not only supports their livelihood but also encourages them to continue creating the music that we all love and enjoy. IPRS has made it an ongoing mission to spread awareness and promote a culture of licensed music consumption through our Fair Play and Fair Pay of Music campaigns. Through this initiative, IPRS is educating music users on the different licensing needs and kinds of music licenses available. It also highlights the benefits of music licensing and the ease of procurement through copyright societies like IPRS. Our consistent PR initiatives, social media campaigns, workshops, online sessions, influencer programs, talks with stakeholders, and collaborations with industry partners, aim to build awareness amongst music users and consumers on the importance of music licensing and fair compensation. Support us in our mission to promote a culture of respect for music and those who create it.

Her Music

The "HerMusic" initiative by IPRS aims to encourage and enhance the representation of women in the music industry. We believe in equal opportunities for everyone and are proud to have a diverse community that includes many talented women in music. The program began on International Women's Day 2021 and was categorized under three heads: Unleash HerMusic, Empower HerMusic, and Celebrate HerMusic. Through this initiative, we want to promotethe participation of women in music creation by identifying probable barriers and creating opportunities to nurture talent. We believe our efforts in this domain is a crucial step towards a more inclusive, diverse, and vibrant music industry. Together, we can work towards a future where every aspiring female musician has equal opportunities and the resources they need to thrive in the industry.

Credit The Creators

An initiative to acknowledge and credit those behind the timeless creations

Credit the creators is the IPRS corrective measure to ensure that those behind the creation of the melodies we so adore are duly acknowledged and credited for their creation. The fact that several music composers and songwriters, in spite of their iconic creations, were denied the creator's credit and, in many cases, also the financial compensation due to them, IPRS, staying true to its core philosophy of being a true supporter of the authors and composers, thought it imperative to take up this issue of great consequence for the comprehensive welfare of such talented artists. “Credit the Creators” is the IPRS effort to illuminate the true contribution of these creators.

Know Your Music

A Journey down the Musical Lanes

The initiative was taken forward through interviews, quotes from the CEO, Chairman and Music videos, fact-based story bites as well as artist bites, creating opportunities for the audience to engage meaningfully with music and thus driving a shift from a state of Passive Listening to Engaged Listeners of music.

GRANTS & AIDS

During the recent pandemic when everything came to a standstill and amidst uncertainties, the role of a copyright society like IPRS became more critical and evident. The regular sources of income were severely hit. IPRS distributed royalty amounting to Rs 210 crores, along with regular grants and aids among our members. A COVID relief pay out amounting to Rs 9.7 crores was distributed to over 3900 members during the period April 2020 to March 2022. We continue to distribute grants and aids to our members, standing tall and in solidarity with our members through thick and thin.

FAQs

  • Why was IPRS set up?

    Copyright Societies or Collective Management Organizations (“CMO”) like IPRS are established to help owners of rights, creators as well as users of copyrighted works. Societies like IPRS provide a one-window license and administration system in respect of specific works. In practice it would be intolerably troublesome and costly, if not wholly impracticable, if those needing permission to perform copyright music in public had to search for, approach and negotiate, with each individual owner of the copyright in every piece of music on each occasion anywhere in the world. It also would be impossible for most copyright-owners to deal adequately with such applications.
    A bit of history – In 1828, the Society for Dramatic Authors and Composers was set up in France and in 1851 SACEM, the world’s first Collective Mechanism Organization (‘CMO’) was set up in France. Gradually CMOs were set up across the world in recognition of the requirement to remunerate stakeholders and creators in various copyright sectors including music. [You can read more at – Click Here]. Today there are more than 230 copyright societies worldwide.

    The IPRS was set up in India in 1969. The IPRS membership includes virtually all Indian Composers, Authors and Music Publishers whose works are publicly performed to any appreciable extent. IPRS also has Agreements of Reciprocal Representation with similar organizations in more than 50 countries throughout the world with which it remains in close and continuous contact. It authorizes all those sister Societies to administer the rights of its members in their respective countries, and they in turn authorize IPRS to administer the rights of their members here in India. In all, the IPRS represents more than a million foreign composers, authors and publishers, through its affiliation agreements with similar societies in countries all over the world.

    IPRS is also affiliated to the “International Confederation of World Societies of Authors and Composers” known as “CISAC”[Click Here ] based in Paris which represents more than 4 million creators worldwide!

  • Who administers IPRS?

    The Company’s policy is controlled by its Membership Body which elects a Governing Council of Directors elected by the members at General Meetings from among their own number. This Council comprises equal number of Music Publishers and Author / Composer. The Council is answerable to the Membership of IPRS.
    The Management, appointed by the Governing Council which oversees the day-to-day functioning of IPRS is headed by the Chief Executive Officer, who is assisted by staff members all over the country. The Company’s Head Office is in Mumbai. In addition to the Head office the Company administers its operations from branch offices all over India in Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata etc.

  • What changes were made to IPRS constitution?

    IPRS has undergone major restructuring and reorganization on the of basis a historic closure and settlement of long pending disputes between authors/ composers and music publishers. The following are some of the steps taken:
    Adoption of a new “constitution” in February 2017, in the form of the Articles of Association (“AoA”) which seeks to ensure that all stakeholder authors (lyricists), music composers and music publishers are treated equally and more critically have equal collective control over the working of IPRS. These new AoA’s respect the rights of all stakeholders including specifically that of Authors and Music Composers to the royalty as mandated by the Copyright Act, 1957 as well as that of music publishers to realize revenue from the exploitation of their works. The new IPRS AoA is available on the IPRS website at Click Here
    Free and fair elections to elect a new Board of Directors to the IPRS Board of Directors / Governing Council comprised of author, composer and music publisher members, were held on March 31st 2017 and subsequently as well.
    The changes effected within IPRS were supported by both Associations of Lyric writers and Music Composers namely the Music Composers Association of India (“MCAI”) and the Screen Writers Association (“SWA”).

  • What does the term “Copyright” mean?

    The copyright in the work in the context of IPRS, these works are Literary Works (i.e. Lyrics) and Musical Works (musical composition i.e. the tune/ melody) means that you as an owner have the exclusive right to do certain things with that work, or to authorize anyone else to do them. They are the following:
    (i) Reproduce the work in any material form;
    (ii) Perform the work in public;
    (iii) Produce, reproduce, perform or publish any translation of the work;
    (iv) Make any cinematograph film in respect of the work;
    (v) Make any sound recording in respect of the work;
    (vi) To communicate the work by broadcast or to communicate to the public by any means;
    (vii) Make any adaptation or translation of the work;
    IPRS is at all times happy to assist its members with advice and guidance in their copyright problems

  • What does the term “Work” mean in Copyright law?

    Copyright is a statutory right i.e. a right granted by a law passed by Parliament. The Copyright Act, 1957 India recognizes some specific works namely-
    (a)Original literary, artistic, musical and dramatic works;
    (b) Sound Recordings
    (c) Cinematograph films

  • What is the Berne Convention?

    Copyright is a statutory right i.e. a right granted by a law passed by Parliament. The Copyright Act, 1957 India recognizes some specific works namely-
    This is an international Convention signed at the conclusion of a series of conferences held in Berne, to devise a system for the international protection of works of the Author. Its full title is “The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works”, and the signatory states of this Convention formed themselves into the so-called “Berne Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works”. The Convention established certain minimum standards of protection, and every signatory state undertook to ensure that its own national copyright laws would conform to those minimum standards.
    Since the signing of the Berne Convention in 1886, the technological explosion of our century has brought many new and unforeseen ways of exploiting works of the Author, particularly music via the gramophone, the tape recorder, broadcasting, television, the video recorder, the computer, satellite transmission, internet and others. In order to keep pace with all these technological developments the Berne Convention has been revised at regular intervals, and it will continue to be so revised. This means that the copyright laws of the signatory states must also be regularly revised and brought into line with the latest developments.

  • Has anything changed with India becoming a part of the WIPO Copyright Treaty (‘WCT’) and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (‘WPPT’)? Do member get additional rights of benefits?

    India’s copyright law had already been amended in 2012 to align with these two treaties and provide protection to copyrights across the digital space. India’s accession to these two treaties will mean that copyright protection in the physical world will also be formalized and extended to the digital/electronic/online space on an international basis. As part of this treaty, India now has the ability to secure protection for Indian works internationally in the digital domain as well.