
Stop the steal: Indian music labels step up action against unlicensed song use by brands and influencers
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Music labels in India are stepping up their crackdown on the unlicensed use of songs they own, especially by brands and influencers on social media and in advertisements. The Delhi High Court recently issued an interim order against One8 Commune, Virat Kohli’s restaurant chain, barring it from playing songs copyrighted by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) without a valid licence.
Earlier, Sony Music issued a legal notice to the Marriott Group for copyright infringement. Brands such as Epigamia and some e-commerce players have also been sued for playing unlicensed music in their ads. Also read: Big Tech struggles to sell AI as industry wary of copyright infringements Music and legal experts said in addition to incurring legal expenses, brands lose reputation and customer trust by not procuring proper music licences.
“Brands and influencers need to take care of music copyright while playing songs in advertisements, sponsored content, or partnerships. Playing music without a licence is not just illegal, it also deprives artists of royalties. Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube allow in-app music for personal use only, which is non-commercial.
Playing it in branded content without permission may lead to copyright strikes, takedowns, or lawsuits," said Gaurav Dagaonkar, co-founder and CEO of Hoopr, a music licensing platform. The potential financial damage from music copyright infringement by brands and influencers is huge. In India, non-licensed use of a song can invite court cases and damages ranging from ₹20 lakh to ₹5 crore based on the duration of use, the platforms, and the commercial value generated, Dagaonkar, added.
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