Topic

Public-domain

When does music enter the public domain? Songs and recordings in the US, UK, EU and India, and the traps
A song and a recording of it run on separate clocks, and every country sets its own. Here is how long compositions and recordings stay protected in the US, UK, EU and India, and why an old tune being free does not make a particular arrangement or recording free.
24 Oct 2026Workflows
Public domain 2026 for musicians: "Georgia on My Mind", "I Got Rhythm" and 1925 recordings are free. What that covers, and the traps
On 1 January 2026, US copyright ended for songs published in 1930 and for recordings from 1925. You can now re-record, adapt and sample them in the US without a licence. Later recordings, new arrangements and other countries are where the traps are.
1 Jan 2026Artist rightsvia Center for the Study of the Public Domain, Duke University School of Law

When does music enter the public domain? Songs and recordings in the US, UK, EU and India, and the traps