Copyright for Beatles Song Granted to McCartney

In October 2018, Paul McCartney will finally get back the rights to Beatles’ songs after a lawsuit against Sony/ATV. McCartney brought the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The lawsuit covered copyrights for over 260 famous Beatles songs, including “Hey Jude,’ “Yesterday,” “Love Me Do,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

Michael Jackson actually had ownership of these copyrights since 1985, but in 2016, they were sold by Jackson’s estate to Sony/ATV. Now, McCartney may be able to take ownership as soon as October 5, 2018. Jackson had ownership of the Beatles catalog because he owned ATV Music Publishing which was purchased by Sony for $750 million.

The battle between McCartney and Sony/ATV had been going on since January, and the two just came to a settlement this week. The lawsuit came just after another popular group Duran Duran was denied rights to their own songs. United States copyright law stated that for copyrights for songs created before 1978 could not be reclaimed by their songwriters for 56 years. October 5, 2018, would be 56 years for “Love Me Do,” which will be the first song given back to McCartney. The law also states that songwriters can obtain copyrights from publishers 35 years after they have been given away for songs from after 1978.

Copyright law can quickly become confusing and overwhelming. If you are unsure of what your rights are, consult with an experienced intellectual property attorney who can help you protect your property.

Our firm has over 25 years of experience helping clients through tough times. If you need assistance with any intellectual property, traffic violations, or business law matters, our firm is here to help. It is critical that you pick the right attorney who can protect your rights. Contact The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC for a consultation.