Abstract
This article discuss about the copyright infringement suit filed by Sony Music Entertainment against Myntra before the Mumbai High Court for use of its songs without permission in advertisements. Sony complains that Myntra utilized numerous sound recordings without a proper license, even after being served with a cease-and-desist notice. The piece mentions the significance of Sync Licenses for the use of music commercially and makes a reference to Meta’s guidelines for music use for content creators. Another such case, Saregama India Ltd. vs Emami Ltd. , is also covered, in which the Delhi High Court issued an injunction for unauthorized use of a popular song in advertising. Both cases highlight the legal consequences of unauthorized use of copyrighted music.
Introduction
In a notable legal breakthrough, Sony Music Entertainment has moved a petition in the Mumbai High Court against popular online shopping site Myntra, accusing the latter of copyright infringement. The petition, moved in April 2025, blames Myntra for unauthorized use of a number of sound recordings owned by Sony Music, even though it had been served a notice to Myntra earlier.
The plaint points out that the infringing material was used on Myntra’s website as well as its mobile app for mostly ads and brand promotion. Sony Music has asserted that Myntra’s conduct amounts to breach of copyright principles and has sought ₹5 crore for damages for the loss suffered. As per the petition, the unauthorized utilization involved broadcasting, synchronization with video materials, and communication to the public activities which Sony claims were done without any license or authority.
WHICH SONGS ARE ON THE LIST?
The songs mentioned on the petition include Ishq Di Baajiyan from Soorma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Gal Mitthi Mitthi from Aisha (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Behke Behke from Aisha (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Zaroor from Zaroor and 17 others.
WHAT META GUIDELINES SAY?
According to Meta’s official guidelines for music use:
“You may not use music from our products in content that you create for commercial or non-personal purposes unless you have obtained appropriate licenses.”
“Use of music for commercial or non-personal purposes in particular, is prohibited unless you have obtained appropriate licenses.”
WHAT SORT OF LICENSE DO YOU NEED TO USE MUSIC FOR ADVERTISING?
Sync License:
This type of license applies to most media production such as TV commercials, movie productions, and advertising agencies. It entails synchronization of music with visuals well.
HOW TO CHECK IF A SONG IS COPYRIGHTED ON INSTAGRAM?
It’s better to be safe than sorry, as there’s no way to tell if a song is copyrighted on Instagram by just looking at it.
Unless you wrote and recorded the song yourself, or the song is in the public domain registry, you can safely assume that the song is protected by copyright law as the artist’s intellectual property, and that you’ll need to purchase a license to use the song in your content.
Songs that are included in the Facebook Sound Collection may be copyrighted themselves, but they have already been licensed by Meta, so you can use them for free.
Similar Case
In the case of Saregama India Ltd. vs Emami Ltd., the Delhi High Court granted an interim injunction against Emami for using the song ‘Udi Jab Jab Zulfein’ from the film Naya Daur in its advertisement for Kesh King Hairfall Shampoo without obtaining a valid license. Saregama, claiming ownership of the musical and literary rights through an agreement with the film’s original producer, filed the suit after Emami disputed their ownership and proceeded with the commercial use. The court restrained Emami from further use and directed them to deposit ₹10 lakh as a provisional license fee. Read more about this judgement here.
This case is notably similar to Sony Music vs Myntra, where Sony sued Myntra for unauthorized use of copyrighted songs in advertisements, seeking damages of ₹5 crore. Both cases highlight the growing judicial emphasis on proper music licensing in commercial contexts and demonstrate the legal consequences of copyright infringement in advertising.
Conlusion
The Sony Music vs Myntra case, as well as the Saregama vs Emami issue, highlights the increasing need to respect intellectual property rights in the digital and advertising era. As more content development and brand advocacy use popular music to attract audiences, businesses need to establish that they possess appropriate licenses, especially Sync Licenses, to prevent legal action. Such incidents are a clear reminder that unlawful use of copyrighted music, even in apparently insignificant situations such as online advertisements, can result in substantial financial obligations and damage to reputation. Fulfillment of copyright legislation as well as website-specific regulations like Meta’s policies on music use is not merely a legal but also a practical measure towards exercising responsible content consumption.
