What Is the Public Domain?

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The Definition:

Public Domain is the state of belonging or being available to the public as a whole, and therefore not subject to copyright.

When Is a Song Public Domain in the United States?

If a song’s music and lyrics were published before 1931, the song is in the public domain and does not require licensing (permission from the copyright owner) for any use. However, even songs in the public domain need to be licensed if you are playing from a copyrighted sheet music arrangement.

Discussion Around Public Domain:

There is a lot of confusion over what is and is not in the public domain (free to use without permission). It is very important that you do the proper research to know - not guess - the public domain status of the song. If you can't confidently confirm a song is in the public domain, consider getting help to determine the status of your song. Let us do free copyright research for you. If the song is in the public domain, we will confirm this. If not, we will help you clear the permission you need.