How Indian Artists Can Manage Music Rights And Royalties In A Global Market

In today’s fast-paced music industry, especially in a diverse and evolving market like India, managing your rights and royalties as an artist isn’t just a legal requirement — it’s a necessary step toward building a sustainable and empowered career. Whether you’re an independent artist, composer, songwriter, or publisher, understanding how rights and revenue streams work is essential to ensuring that your work earns what it deserves — both in India and across the globe.

To begin with, it's important to understand the different types of music rights. Copyright is the foundational right granted to creators of original works — this includes literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic creations. In the case of music, copyright covers a bundle of rights including recording/re-recording, reproduction, sale & distribution, public performance, adaptation, synchronization and even translation. But music rights don’t stop at just copyright. There’s also the distinction between publishing rights and master rights. Publishing rights relate to the composition of the song — the melody and lyrics — and are typically owned by the songwriter, composer, or a music publisher. These rights govern how the song can be used and monetized, whether through recordings, public performances, adaptations, or synchronization with film or video. On the other hand, master rights refer to the ownership of the actual recording — the final audio version of the song that is streamed, sold, or used in a film or TV show. While publishing rights protect the songwriting, master rights protect the recording of the performance.

For Indian artists, protecting these rights begins with registering your music. One of the most essential steps is registering with the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS). Registration is a straightforward online process. Once you’re a member, you gain access to a member portal where you can register your songs, manage your catalogue, and ensure your works are officially documented. This registration not only helps establish ownership but also makes sure you’re eligible to receive royalties when your music is used commercially.

Understanding how royalties are generated is another crucial aspect of rights management. Music generates income in several ways, and each stream of income is tied to a specific type of royalty. Performance royalties are paid whenever your music is played publicly — whether it’s streamed on platforms like Spotify and YouTube, played in cafes or clubs, performed at concerts, or broadcast on radio and television. These royalties are collected and distributed by Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) such as IPRS, which act on behalf of artists, tracking music usage and collecting payments from music users like broadcasters and venues.

Mechanical royalties are another vital source of income and are earned when your music is reproduced or sold in any format — be it CDs, vinyl, digital downloads, or streams. These royalties are distinct from performance royalties and often originate from the mechanical reproduction of music. CMOs like IPRS collect both performance and mechanical royalties, offering a consolidated way for artists to manage their rights.

There’s also a third category — synchronization royalties — which come into play when your music is used alongside visual content. If a song is used in a film, commercial, web series, or video game, it needs to be licensed from the rights holder, who then receives a fee for that usage. Synch deals can be particularly lucrative and are a growing revenue source for independent musicians, especially as digital content creation continues to rise.

As your music travels beyond India’s borders, international royalties become an important part of the picture. Thanks to reciprocal agreements between IPRS and global rights organizations, members of IPRS can receive royalties from other countries where their music is used. However, to ensure that these royalties are properly collected, it's crucial to register your songs with accurate metadata on the IPRS portal. As IPRS handles both performance and mechanical rights — a rarity among global rights bodies — it becomes easier for artists to manager their catalogue via one place only.

Ultimately, managing rights and royalties is about taking ownership of your creative work and understanding the value it carries in the market. By registering with the right organizations, staying informed about how your music is being used, and keeping your catalogue updated, you put yourself in a position not just to protect your art, but to profit from it — sustainably and globally. For artists serious about their craft and careers, this isn’t just good business practice — it’s a form of creative empowerment.