master of public domain

[LI Slim]

I've been trying to figure out whether some old blues songs are in the public domain, and it aint easy. ASCAP will tell you who's published a song, to the extent they have that info, but don't have the answer as to whether the song itself is copyright protected. The US Copyright website, using an archaic search program, will give similar and more thorough info but still doesn't tell you whether a particular song is in the public domain. Does anyone know the best way to research this?

 

[jvasey]

Copyrights have a fixed life. I believe in the US for songs, it's 50 years. So 50 years after the first copyright is filed, the songs become public domain.

 

[64Firebird]

According to Molly Ann Leikin in her book "How to Write a Hit Song." Copyright is good for the lifetime of the author plus another fifty years. I'd say that leaves out anything you might hear in your granny's old 78's.

 

[Michael Jones]

Here, check this out:
http://songfile.snap.com/nonpro_search.html

If it is copyright protected, it will most likely be here.
You can also buy a license from this group to record and distribute a song. The prices are pretty reasonable too.

This is all part of Songfile.com, which is run by the Harry Fox Agency, one of the largest music publishers in the world.

 

[Tweedville]

64 Firebird is right........50 years after the death of the composer.So,I only have 30 more years to say that I wrote " Hard Day's Night."......just kidding....