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"Happy Birthday" copyright questions

S

stevations

Who owns the right to Happy Birthday, who wrote it, what are the most popular releases and how much does it cost to sing the song on network tv? When does the copyright expire. I see network tv shows where they mention someones birthday and then say.....don't sing the song, it costs too much. Also, what is the best R-I post category to write about copyrights?
 
stevations said:
Who owns the right to Happy Birthday, who wrote it, what are the most popular releases and how much does it cost to sing the song on network tv? When does the copyright expire. I see network tv shows where they mention someones birthday and then say.....don't sing the song, it costs too much. Also, what is the best R-I post category to write about copyrights?
Click to expand...

The song was written as "Good Morning To All" by Mildred and Patty Hill in 1893. The song is currently "owned" by Warner/Chappel Music. Apparently, royalties cost $700 to use the song, as TV host Wendy Williams paid to use the song in an episode. I read other estimates upwards as much as $10,000!!!!

The Supreme Court Ruling Eldred v. Ashcroft extended copyright laws an additional 20 years, and Happy Birthday was mentioned in the offical ruling. However, this professor http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1111624 , doubts copyright laws apply to the song.

As for the right forum, eh... who cares? :)

Hope that was sorta some help :)
 
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