Officially titled “Happy Birthday to You,” the Happy Birthday song is apparently the most recognizable English language song, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and despite the best efforts of Larry David. Less well-known, in recent years, is that the song actually has had specific ownership, and claims have continued to be made by the music publisher Warner/Chappell under the pretense that the song should be under their copyright until 2030.
A few months ago, those claims were ruled invalid in federal court due to the fact that the ownership only applies to a piano arrangement of the song—nothing more. Warner lawyers subsequently cried fourteen million dollars worth of tears, and today the case is settled: “Happy Birthday” is now in the public domain.
The decision is said to be somewhat unorthodox, so expect a review, but unless there’s a full reversal, this means that the song can be freely used along with other public domain classics like “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “My Old Kentucky Home.”
(via Billboard)
