How long is a song protected by copyright before becoming public domain?

Answer 1

The copyright for any work protected under the current US Copyright Law will last for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. If the author transfers ownership or their identity is unknown the copyright will expire 95 years after publication or 120 years after creation, whichever is shorter.

Answer 2

This is a tricky one! It really depends on which Copyright Act it was created under and when it was published.

Works unpublished and not registered as of 1978 but published between 1/1/78 and 1/1/2003 - Copyright expires after death of author, but no earlier than 12/31/2047.

Works created before 1978 and unpublished as of December 31, 2002 - Copyright expires 70 years after death of author unless author has already been dead for 70 years, in which case copyright protection end on January 1, 2003. (The work must not have been registered prior to 1978).

Works created on or after 1/1/78, whether published or unpublished - If author's name is disclosed to the Copyright Office, the term is life of the author + 70 years.

Works created on or after 1/1/78, whether published or unpublished - If author's name is not disclosed (Anonymous / Pseudonymous work) - Copyright expires 95 years after publication or 120 years from creation; whichever is less.

Works created on or after 1/1/78, whether published or unpublished - If considered made under a work for hire basis - Copyright expires 95 years from first publication or 120 years from creation; whichever is less.

Works created on or after 1/1/78, whether published or unpublished - With 1 author - Copyright expires 70 years after death of copyright owner.

Works created on or after 1/1/78, whether published of unpublished - With joint authors - Copyright expires after 70 years proceeding the death of the final living author.

Works published from 1964 - 1977 - Copyright has an initial term of 28 years with an automatic renewal for an additional 67 years. Total copyright protection would be for 95 years.

Works published from 1923 - 1963 - Copyright has an initial term of 28 years; if it was renewed by the copyright owner during the 28th year, the copyright protection extended another 67 years. If it was not renewed, copyright protection ended at the end of the initial 28 years.

Works published in the U.S. prior to 1923 - Public Domain.

Remember - Publication has occurred when the work has been released, or distributed to the public!

Answer 3

A song will be protected for the life of the creator(s) plus 50 years in most countries; the US and some others have extended this to life plus 70 years.

Copyright protection of a recording can be much more convoluted, but current recordings will be protected for life plus 50 or 70 as well; corporate works, for example by a large ensemble, are protected for 95 years.

The rule for "author's life", in the USA, only applies to works that were published or created after 1977. Works copyrighted between 1922 and 1977 have a duration of 95 years, assuming they registered any necessary renewal of the initial 28-year term at the required time.

For sound recordings, under US law, nothing recorded prior to 1973 has any federal copyright. State laws prohibit duplication of recordings made prior to that and generally have no expiration (at least not until pre-empted by federal law in 2067).

Answer 4

How long a song is protected by copyright, before becoming public domain, depends on when the song was first published. For songs published between 1923 and 1963, copyright can last as long as 95 years. Later songs tend to be protected for considerably longer, as the term of protection is for the life of the creator plus at least 50 years; the US and several other countries have extended this to life plus 70 years.

Answer 5

Statute of limitations only apply to criminal or civil proceedings. They do not apply to intellectual property such as music. In most cases the copyright on a song is valid for 70 years after the death of the writer.

Answer 6

It varies from country to country. Minimally it is the life of the creator plus 50 years, although the US and some others have extended this to life plus 70 years.

Answer 7

In the US, the life of the author plus 70 years.

Answer 8

Pre-1923: in the public domain

1923-1963 and NOT renewed: in the public domain

1923-1963 and renewed: 95 years after publication date