Playing music at public places whether it is a restaurant, café, hotel, pub, bar, or any other such place requires permission in the form of a Music License.
It is a crime to play music in private, public or commercial place without proper copyrights or license.
Subject to the Copyright Act of 1957, it is mandatory for all those who play Pre-recorded music in the form of Gramophone Records, Music cassettes or CDs or Radio or TV or Audio-visual etc. for non-private purpose or in public places and/or commercial establishments and/or non-commercial establishments, to take license before playing music.
Accordingly, any communication or presentation of Indian or International music for non-Private purposes or in public places or Commercial Establishments such as Restaurants, Hotels, Discotheques, Cinema Halls, Mall etc., or non-commercial establishments such as campus etc. have to obtain a License.
Any activity where the music is played without a license constitutes an infringement of copyright under The Copyright Act of 1957. Such violation of copyright is Cognizable & Non-bailable offence attracting heavy penalties.