1. Ownership of Content — The Fundamental Principle
1.1 The most foundational principle underlying Shopolo Music’s copyright and licensing framework is this: Rightholders retain full, undivided, perpetual, and unconditional ownership of all intellectual property rights in every piece of Content they submit to the platform. This includes: all rights in the master sound recording; all rights in the underlying musical composition and lyrics; all rights in the cover artwork and Visual Assets; and all rights in the metadata and other materials submitted in connection with the Content. Shopolo Digital Private Limited acquires no ownership right, no copyright interest, no neighbouring right, and no equitable interest of any kind in any Content as a result of distributing or administering it.
1.2 The administrative label credit displayed in DSP metadata — ℗ [Year] Shopolo Music and © [Year] Shopolo Music (for independent artist releases) or ℗ [Year] [Label Name] and © [Year] [Label Name] (for registered label releases) — is a technical convention required by DSPs as a condition of distribution. It is not a copyright notice in favour of Shopolo Music and does not evidence any transfer of phonogram copyright or composition copyright to the Company. The Rightholder at all times remains the owner of the phonogram and the underlying composition.
1.3 Where the Rightholder is also the performer of the sound recording within the meaning of Section 38 of the Copyright Act, 1957, the Rightholder retains all performers’ rights, including the right to receive royalties under Section 38A. The distribution licence granted to Shopolo Music under Clause 3 does not diminish, transfer, or limit the Rightholder’s performers’ rights.
2. Shopolo Music’s Strictly Administrative Role
2.1 Shopolo Music’s copyright-related functions are limited to acting as a non-exclusive digital distributor and administrative agent. Shopolo Music: makes Content available to DSPs under its Commercial Agreements; collects Net DSP Revenue arising from the distribution of Content; administers the metadata associated with the Content; and manages YouTube Content ID registration for the purpose of monetising the Rightholder’s recordings in user-generated content on YouTube. In none of these functions does the Company exercise any of the exclusive rights reserved to copyright owners under Section 14 of the Copyright Act, 1957 for its own benefit.
2.2 The Company participates in Commercial Agreements with digital licensing bodies and platform partners to make Content available to DSPs on premium terms. These arrangements are confidential B2B agreements. Their existence does not affect the Rightholder’s ownership of Content, the non-exclusive nature of the licence granted to Shopolo Music, or the royalty percentages applicable to the Uploader’s account.
3. Licence Grant — Scope, Purpose, and Limits
3.1 By submitting Content through the platform, the Rightholder grants Shopolo Digital Private Limited a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence — for the duration of the distribution arrangement and revocable upon valid Early Removal — to: (a) encode, store, and reproduce the Content in any format required by DSPs; (b) make the Content available to DSPs and digital platforms under the Company’s Commercial Agreements; (c) collect Net DSP Revenue arising from the Content on behalf of the Rightholder; (d) display and use the Content’s metadata, cover artwork, and artist name solely for DSP submission, platform administration, and promotional purposes described in Clause 4; and (e) register the Content with YouTube Content ID for the purpose of monetising the Content in user-generated content.
3.2 This licence does not permit Shopolo Music to: synchronise the Content in any film, television production, advertisement, or other audio-visual work; commercially exploit the Content beyond digital streaming distribution and the promotional uses in Clause 4; sub-licence the Content to any party other than DSPs, digital platforms, and Commercial Agreement partners strictly necessary for distribution; or claim or register any copyright in or to the Content in the Company’s own name.
Synchronisation licensing is not included in the standard distribution licence in the current version of the platform. Shopolo Music reserves the right to introduce an optional Sync Licensing Service in a future version, governed by a separately executed Sync Licensing Agreement requiring explicit opt-in from the Rightholder.
3.3 Any purported assignment of copyright from a Rightholder to Shopolo Music shall be void and of no legal effect unless made in a separately executed written instrument signed by both parties and specifically identifying the rights being assigned, in accordance with Section 18 of the Copyright Act, 1957.
4. Promotional Licence — Visual Assets and Audio Excerpts
4.1 Shopolo Music is hereby granted a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free promotional licence to use the Rightholder’s artist name, Content title, cover artwork, and audio excerpts of up to 30 seconds exclusively for the purpose of promoting the Rightholder’s releases and Shopolo Music’s Services on the Shopolo Music website, social media platforms, and in promotional materials. This licence does not extend to commercial advertising for third-party products or services, licensing or sub-licensing to any third party, or any use prejudicial to the Rightholder’s honour or reputation within the meaning of Section 57(1) of the Copyright Act, 1957.
4.2 The promotional licence survives removal of the relevant Content from the platform for 6 calendar months after removal, following which Shopolo Music will cease all promotional use of the removed Content.
5. Licensing Requirements for Uploaded Content
5.1 The Rightholder is solely and exclusively responsible for obtaining all licences and clearances required before Content can be lawfully distributed. The following licences are specifically required:
- For cover versions: a valid mechanical licence from the publisher of the underlying composition or their designated mechanical licensing agent.
- For remixes or derivative works based on third-party recordings: a valid synchronisation or adaptation licence from the master rights-holder, in addition to the mechanical licence from the publishing rights-holder.
- For Content incorporating samples: a valid sample clearance from both the master rights-holder and the publishing rights-holder of the underlying composition.
- For Content incorporating third-party artwork or photographs: documented written permission from the creator or licensor of that material.
5.2 Shopolo Music does not provide licensing assistance, does not source mechanical licences or sample clearances on behalf of Rightholders, and accepts no responsibility for unlicensed Content. Where unlicensed Content is identified, it will be removed without prior notice.
6. Copyright Infringement and Takedown Procedure
6.1 Any party who believes that Content distributed through the platform infringes their copyright should submit a formal written complaint containing: (a) clear identification of the copyrighted work infringed; (b) precise identification of the infringing Content; (c) the complainant’s full contact details; and (d) a signed declaration that the information is accurate and that the complainant is the rights-holder or their duly authorised representative — to legal@shopolo.in or by post to Shopolo Digital Private Limited, Glory Plaza, 2nd Floor, Mother Teresa Road, Guwahati – 781024, Assam, India. Shopolo Music will acknowledge receipt within 48 hours and act on valid, complete complaints in accordance with its DSP takedown workflow and the requirements of the Copyright Act, 1957.
6.2 Deliberately false or vexatious infringement complaints may constitute an offence under the Copyright Act, 1957 and may expose the complainant to civil liability for wrongful interference.
7. Artificial Intelligence — Copyright and Ownership Implications
7.1 The copyright status of AI-generated content is an evolving area of law in India and globally. Uploaders are solely responsible for ensuring that any AI-generated or AI-assisted Content they submit has sufficient human creative input to qualify for copyright protection in the relevant jurisdiction, and for making the required disclosures under Policy I, Clause 8.
7.2 Shopolo Music makes no representation as to the copyright status, protectability, or ownership of AI-generated Content submitted to the platform. The Company’s obligations to collect and disburse royalties are conditional on the submitted Content generating revenue at DSPs. Where DSPs decline to monetise AI-generated Content pursuant to their own policies, Shopolo Music bears no liability for the resulting absence of royalties.
7.3 The Rightholder warrants that any AI-generated Content submitted to the platform: (a) has been created with sufficient human authorship to support the Rightholder’s ownership claim; (b) does not incorporate the voice, performance, or likeness of any other artist without that artist’s written consent; and (c) complies with the content policies of all DSPs to which it is delivered.
8. Publishing Royalties — Scope and Current Position
8.1 At the date of this Policy, Shopolo Digital Private Limited functions exclusively as a digital distributor and phonogram administrator. The Company does not administer the composition copyright in any artist’s songs, does not collect mechanical royalties or performance royalties from any Collective Management Organisation (“CMO”) on behalf of Rightholders, and does not hold any publishing rights in any Content distributed through the platform. Nothing in this Policy should be construed as creating a publishing relationship between Shopolo Music and any Rightholder.
8.2 Publishing royalties — including mechanical royalties and performance royalties arising from the use of underlying musical compositions — fall entirely outside the scope of Shopolo Music’s collection and disbursement functions. These royalties are the sole responsibility of the Rightholder to collect through their own separate registration with the relevant CMO in their territory.
8.3 Shopolo Music expressly reserves the right to activate a music publishing administration service in a future version of the platform. When and if activated, this service may include: formal registration as a music publisher with relevant Collective Management Organisations; administration of the composition copyright in songs owned by participating songwriters; collection of mechanical royalties accruing through DSPs; collection of performance royalties through applicable collecting societies; and remittance of collected publishing royalties to relevant songwriters under individually executed Music Publishing Administration Agreements. The activation of publishing services shall be communicated to all Users through the Dashboard and by email, and shall not impose any obligation on Rightholders who do not separately opt in.
Important: Shopolo Music’s distribution of your recordings does not collect or administer your publishing royalties. If you are a composer or lyricist, register with the relevant Collective Management Organisation in your territory to ensure you receive your publishing and performance royalties.
9. Governing Law
9.1 This Policy is governed by the Copyright Act, 1957, as amended, and all applicable Indian law. All disputes are subject to the multi-tiered dispute resolution framework in Policy V.