India Artist Management Toolkit — Money Kit
Most Indian independent artists leave royalty money unclaimed every year because the system is fragmented and poorly documented. This guide covers every royalty type, who collects it in India, and what you need to do to receive yours.
The Two Types of Music Rights
Every song has two distinct copyrights:
1. COMPOSITION (Publishing Rights) Covers: the melody and lyrics Owner: songwriter(s) / composer(s) Collecting body in India: IPRS (Indian Performing Right Society) What it earns: performance royalties, mechanical royalties, sync fees (publishing share)
2. MASTER (Sound Recording Rights) Covers: the specific recorded version Owner: whoever paid for the recording — usually the artist if self-funded, or the label if label-funded Collecting body in India: PPL India (Phonographic Performance Limited) What it earns: neighbouring rights / master royalties from radio, public venues, streaming
If you wrote and recorded your own music and self-funded it, you own both rights. If a label funded the recording, they likely own the master. Read your contract carefully.
IPRS — Indian Performing Right Society
Website: iprs.org
What IPRS collects on your behalf:
- Performance royalties from radio, TV, live venues, streaming platforms
- Mechanical royalties from digital downloads and interactive streaming (Spotify, JioSaavn, etc.)
- International royalties via reciprocal agreements with ASCAP, PRS, SOCAN, APRA and others
How to register: iprs.org > Members > Join as Composer / Author / Publisher Required: PAN card, Aadhaar, bank details, sample works Cost: Free for composers and lyricists. Publishers (labels) pay a separate annual fee.
What IPRS distributes:
- Online music (streaming): twice a year, approx. June and December
- Radio / TV: quarterly
- Live performance: collected from venue licences; distributions less predictable
Key obligations once you are a member:
- Register every new song immediately after release
- Keep contact details and bank account current — unclaimed funds are forfeited after 3 years
- Report co-writers and split percentages accurately — this determines their share
PPL India — Neighbouring Rights
Website: pplindia.com
What PPL collects on your behalf:
- Master royalties from FM radio, community radio, All India Radio
- Public performance royalties from hotels, restaurants, shops, events playing your recordings
- Neighbouring rights from digital platforms (paid to master owners separately from publishing)
How to register: pplindia.com > For Artists / Labels > Producer Registration Required: proof of master ownership, track details with ISRC codes, PAN, bank details
Important: If you signed a label deal that transferred master rights, the label collects PPL — not you. Confirm ownership before registering.
Streaming Royalties — How They Flow
Flow: Platform > Distributor > You
The platform pays a royalty pool based on pro-rata stream share. Your distributor receives the full amount, takes their cut (10–20%), and pays you the net to your bank account.
Approximate per-stream rates for Indian listeners (2024–2025 estimates): Spotify: ₹0.06–0.08 per stream Apple Music: ₹0.08–0.12 per stream JioSaavn: ₹0.01–0.03 per stream (lower due to ad-supported model) Gaana: ₹0.01–0.02 per stream YouTube Music: ₹0.02–0.05 per stream Amazon Music: ₹0.07–0.10 per stream
International listener rates are significantly higher. A stream from the US or UK on Spotify pays approximately ₹0.40–0.60 per stream.
Tax on streaming income:
- TDS may be deducted by distributors at 10% on payments above ₹30,000/year
- Collect Form 16A from your distributor; cross-check against Form 26AS
Sync Licensing — India
A sync licence allows someone to use your music with visual media — film, TV, ad, web video.
Who must give permission:
- Publishing rights: you (if you are the songwriter and IPRS holds performing rights — check membership agreement)
- Master rights: you (or your label if they own the master)
- For most self-releasing indie artists: you control both
Standard sync deal components:
- Upfront sync fee (negotiated per project — ₹10,000 to ₹5 lakh or more for Indian indie)
- Territory and duration (India only / worldwide; 1 year / in perpetuity)
- Back-end royalties if the production airs on TV (IPRS may collect these on your behalf)
How to get sync placements in India:
- Music supervisors for OTT platforms (Netflix India, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar)
- India-focused music libraries: Hoopr
- International libraries: Musicbed, Artlist, Pond5
- Direct outreach to post-production houses and ad agencies
Royalty Registration Checklist
Before releasing any track:
- ISRC code assigned (your distributor does this, or via isrcindia.com)
- IPRS membership active and track registered on IPRS portal
- PPL membership active (if you own the master) and track registered
After release:
- Distributor dashboard checked monthly for royalty statements
- IPRS portal checked twice a year for distribution notices
- PPL portal checked quarterly
- Form 26AS checked annually to reconcile TDS credits
- Co-writer splits confirmed with all collaborators in writing before release
Common Mistakes That Cost Artists Money
1. Not registering with IPRS — forfeit all performance and mechanical royalties 2. Not updating bank details with IPRS / PPL — payments returned and eventually forfeited 3. Signing away publishing in a label deal without understanding the clause 4. Not assigning co-writer splits before release — causes disputes when royalties arrive 5. Not collecting TDS certificates — lose the credit at assessment time 6. Using a distributor that takes publishing royalties — read the terms 7. Assuming streaming income equals all royalties — PPL and IPRS pay separately and on different timelines
Free to use · Part of the Indie Music India toolkit · Updated September 2026