A range of compositions from 1930 are about to enter the US public domain – including ‘Georgia On My Mind’ and ‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’.
In the US, copyright terms expire at the end of a calendar year, and under current rules, musical compositions are only protected for 95 years after their publication. That means that from January 1, 2026, anything first published in 1930 will be free to use.
The law dictates that anyone is allowed to perform or record new versions of the songs in question, or interpolate, adapt or quote their melody and lyrics in the US.
Among the songs entering the public domain are ‘Georgia On My Mind’, with music by Hoagy Carmichael and lyrics by Stuart Gorrell. The most classic version of the track was recorded by Ray Charles in 1960 and was later declared the official state song of Georgia, picking up two Grammy Hall of Fame inductions along the way.
Also available is ‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’, composed by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, with lyrics by Gus Kahn. First recorded by Ozzie Nelson in 1931, it is best remembered for a version by Mama Cass Elliot in 1968, and has also been covered by Henry Mancini, Ella Fitzgerald, Erasure and The Beautiful South.
George and Ira Gershwin’s ‘I Got Rhythm’ and the English language version of ‘Just A Gigolo’ are also becoming free to use.
The same laws apply to works from other art forms, including films and novels, meaning titles such as the Oscar-winning All Quiet On The Western Front, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and the characters Pluto and Betty Boop also enter the public domain on New Year’s Day.
Last year, 1929 properties became eligible, including ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ and ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, as well as Popeye and TinTin, while the previous year it covered ‘Mack The Knife’ and ‘Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love)’.
The entry into public domain has led to some unconventional uses of familiar properties in recent years, including the Winnie The Pooh horror film Blood And Honey in 2023.