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Michael and the 50 Year Copyright Extension rule

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Have any of you given any thoughts to the 50 year copyright extension rule in the EU which means that any recording not released within 50 years becomes public domain?

Many artists and their record companies will try to protect any unreleased recordings by releasing them, even in a very limited way. Once they have done this, the copyright is protected for 70 years. If they do not protect them, other record labels are perfectly within the law to release them, providing they can access the recordings of course.

Some artists choose to protect their recordings more than others. For example, Bob Dylan releases everything - every single take of a song. These will often be on CDs that are released in a very limited number. Similarly, The Rolling Stones have been known to release recordings on YouTube just before midnight on New Year's Eve of the 50th year and for a very brief time!

Others don't protect their recordings at all. For example, Motown have never bothered with this for any of their artists. So I don't really expect any recordings from Michael's Motown era to be released. However it is interesting to consider what might be released from the mid 70's onwards after they moved to Epic and when it is thought Michael started to make demos of his own compositions.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts.
 
This was talk about in another thread not to long ago. that's only depends they don't renew the copyright. so maybe one day if half of us still alive we will heard and see some of Michael unrelease music and concerts. that's only if they release them before the copyright ends or if they don't renew them 50/or 70 years later.
 
I believe that in the US, modern copyright law for musical compositions lasts for life plus 70 years after the author dies. By that logic, everything that MJ himself wrote will become public domain in 2079 (which is also the 100th anniversary of Off The Wall.)

Keep in mind that this only applies to songs exclusively written by MJ (e.g. Don't Stop Til You Get Enough) and not songs that were written by other people that he sung (e.g. Man In The Mirror)

But honestly, by that time, copyright law will most likely change drastically by 2079. After all, the Disney Company keeps finding loopholes or some other mumbo jumbo that keeps Mickey Mouse out of public domain even though he was created in 1927 and Walt Disney died in 1966. Who knows what will happen?
 
Who knows. they can renewed both of them. 2079 is a long way and most of us gonna be dead. at this point i really don't care. i'm just gonna enjoy what we have and just hope one day they release more stuff.

that's really we all can do.
 
NatureCriminal7896 said:
Who knows. they can renewed both of them. 2079 is a long way and most of us gonna be dead. at this point i really don't care. i'm just gonna enjoy what we have and just hope one day they release more stuff.

that's really we all can do.
Click to expand...
I really hate i read that part!
 
I'm really interested in that question. I also believe that by 2079 the copyright laws will be changed. But you may have a point after all. Mickey Mouse and Disney are obviously different, because they really do everything to keep their assets as something they can profit of. Maybe, we'll hear some new old songs from Motown era after all.
 
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