COPYRIGHT PROTECTION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY: A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF RIGHTS CHALLENGES AND ENFORCEMENT IN THE DIGITAL ERA
Kanisha Sharma, Final semester student pursuing LLM (IPR) at Amity Law School, Noida, Uttar Pradesh (India)
The rapid digitisation of the music industry has fundamentally altered the nature of creation, distribution, and consumption of musical works, raising complex questions regarding the adequacy of existing copyright frameworks. This paper undertakes a critical examination of copyright protection in the Indian music industry, with particular emphasis on the challenges posed by digital platforms, streaming economies, and evolving ownership structures. While the Copyright Act, 1957 provides a comprehensive statutory framework governing musical works, sound recordings, and performers’ rights, its application in the contemporary digital environment reveals significant gaps. Issues such as digital piracy, opaque royalty distribution systems, and unequal bargaining power between artists and intermediaries continue to undermine the intended objectives of copyright law. Through a doctrinal and analytical approach, this paper evaluates legislative provisions, judicial interpretations, and industry practices. It further undertakes a comparative assessment of international frameworks to identify best practices. The study argues that although India has made progressive reforms, particularly through the 2012 amendment, enforcement inefficiencies and structural imbalances persist. The paper concludes by proposing targeted reforms aimed at strengthening institutional mechanisms, ensuring fair compensation, and aligning copyright law with technological realities.
| 📄 Type | 🔍 Information |
|---|---|
| Research Paper | LawFoyer International Journal of Doctrinal Legal Research (LIJDLR), Volume 4, Issue 1, Page 1771–1790. |
| 🔗 Creative Commons | © Copyright |
| This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License . | © Authors, 2026. All rights reserved. |