Who Actually Needs to Buy the Music Licence — The DJ, the Venue, or the Organiser?

This is the most common question in the Indian events industry and the answer surprises almost everyone. The short version: all three of you are responsible. The DJ, the venue, and the event organiser can all be held liable under Indian copyright law — simultaneously, or separately.

Here is exactly what the law says, what the courts have ruled, and most importantly, how to protect yourself.

What the law says — Section 51 of the Copyright Act 1957

Section 51 creates liability for anyone who "permits for profit the use of any place for communication of a copyrighted work to the public." This single section creates a chain of liability across every party involved in an event where music is played.

The venue permits use of the place. Liable.
The event organiser promotes and profits from the event. Liable.
The DJ plays the copyrighted music. Liable.

None of these parties can point to the other and walk away clean. This is not an opinion — it is how courts have consistently ruled.

What each licensing body says

PPL India frames responsibility as resting with "the owner or operator of the establishment." Their FAQ says the venue is primarily responsible. In practice, PPL targets hotels, banquet halls and clubs — fixed establishments with money and ongoing relationships.

Novex is the most explicit. In a November 2024 statement, Novex confirmed: "It is not only the person playing the sound recordings who is liable — the organiser and the DJ — but also the venue which is liable for taking the licence." Novex names all three parties directly.

IPRS covers composition and lyrics rights. Their website explicitly lists "DJs who store music to play publicly at various events and venues" as requiring licences, alongside venue owners and event promoters.

The landmark court ruling every DJ should know

In 2011, the Punjab and Haryana High Court decided a case between PPL and the Light Sound and DJ Association. DJs performing at wedding functions had argued they were protected by the wedding exemption under Section 52(1)(za) of the Copyright Act.

The court rejected this argument entirely. The ruling stated:

"A sound reproduction by a DJ performing at such an event is surely a function that is connected to marriage. It is not as if a DJ's performance amounts to conducting the marriage. Marriage is definitely different from the functions connected to the marriage and the tariff regime applies to performances at such functions even if it has a religious overtone."

In plain language: the wedding exemption protects the family hosting the wedding. It does not protect the DJ who is being paid to perform at it. A professional DJ is providing a commercial service — and that service requires a licence.

This ruling has been cited in every subsequent case on this topic, including the Punjab and Haryana High Court's 2022 ruling and multiple 2024 Delhi and Bombay HC orders against major hotel chains.

How enforcement actually works

PPL, Novex and IPRS use investigators who physically visit venues to check compliance. In December 2023, the Bombay High Court ordered approximately 100 commercial establishments to stop playing copyrighted music without a licence ahead of New Year's Eve. In September 2024, the Delhi High Court issued specific injunctions against Hyatt, Lemon Tree, Trident and Leopold Café for playing music without valid licences.

Enforcement primarily targets venues because they are fixed, identifiable, and have ongoing commercial operations. But DJs and event organisers have been named in proceedings — and the legal exposure is real.

The event organiser carries the most practical responsibility

Here is the position Trakinfo recommends, and the position that reflects how the industry actually operates at a professional level.

The event organiser is booking the venue. The event organiser is hiring the DJ. The event organiser is the one with the budget, the contracts, and the relationship with the client. They are best placed to ensure all licences are in place before the event.

This is not just a practical recommendation — it is legally sound. IPRS says "the promoter or organiser of a live event has a responsibility to the owner of any copyright material that is used." Novex explicitly names the organiser as liable. And in contract law, whoever engages the services controls the terms.

For event organisers: Build music licence procurement into your standard event checklist, the same way you would building permits, NOCs and fire safety. Get the licences in your name. Add a clause to your client contract that confirms you have obtained all necessary music licences for the event. This protects you, the venue, and the DJ.

For venues: Ensure your annual background music licence is current. For events hosted at your property, confirm in writing with the organiser who holds the event-specific licence. Do not assume your background music licence covers a DJ night — it does not. PPL and RMPL both explicitly state that background and event licences are separate and independent. See the breakdown.

For DJs: The safest approach is to ensure licences exist before you perform — not to assume someone else has handled it. Two options:

Option one — get the licence responsibility confirmed in writing in your DJ contract. Something like: "The client is responsible for obtaining all necessary music performance licences (PPL, Novex, IPRS) before the event date. The DJ will not perform at events where this confirmation cannot be provided."

Option two — build a single-licence setlist. If your entire setlist uses tracks from one licence body only, you only need that one licence. A PPL-only setlist needs only a PPL licence. A Novex-only setlist needs only a Novex licence. Trakinfo shows you which licence covers each track — search your setlist before the event, confirm every track, and perform with confidence.

What about live bands and artists?

Performing your own original compositions only: No PPL, Novex, or IPRS licence is needed. These bodies cover other people's recorded music and compositions — not your own work. This is the one scenario where a performer has zero licence obligations.

Performing covers of other artists' songs (live, no backing tracks): IPRS licence is required for the underlying compositions and lyrics. PPL and Novex cover sound recordings — they apply when you play a recording, not when you perform a song live. However, if you use any backing tracks, PPL and Novex apply to those recordings.

Live singer or band with a backing track or DJ: Full PPL, Novex, and IPRS exposure. Same rules as a DJ set.

The simplest way to protect yourself

Whoever is in the best position to obtain the licence should obtain it. In most events, that is the event organiser. In most venues, that is the venue owner for background music and the organiser for event-specific licences.

The cleanest professional arrangement is:

• Event organiser holds the event-specific PPL and Novex licences
• Venue holds an annual background music licence covering their premises
• DJ contract confirms the organiser is responsible for event licences
• DJ uses Trakinfo to verify every track in the setlist matches the licences in place

If you only have PPL covered and you play a Zee Music or YRF track, you are in breach of Novex's rights regardless of whose name is on the licence. The music you play must match the licences you hold. That is why verifying your setlist track by track before the event matters.