• Latest
    • AI
    • Careers
    • Copyright
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Events Videos
    • Law firm news
    • Trade secrets
  • In-house
  • Patents
  • Trademarks
  • Jurisdictions
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Australasia
    • Africa
    • Unified Patent Court
  • Rankings
    • About Rankings
    • Practice Area Rankings
    • Diversity & Inclusion Top 100 2025
    • Leaders 2025
    • Directory
  • WIPR Insights
    • Magazines
    • IP services: Product walk-throughs
    • Whitepapers
    • Webinars
  • Events
    • Events schedule
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Login


Request Trial
  • Home
  • Copyright
  • Happy Birthday copyright case reaches court
ruth-black-shutterstock-com-4
24 March 2015Copyright

Happy Birthday copyright case reaches court

A US court has heard arguments in a case that will decide whether the copyright protecting the song Happy Birthday to You is valid.

Already registered?

Login to your account


If you don't have a login or your access has expired, you will need to purchase a subscription to gain access to this article, including all our online content.

For more information on individual annual subscriptions for full paid access and corporate subscription options please contact us.

To request a FREE 2-week trial subscription, please signup.
NOTE - this can take up to 48hrs to be approved.

Two Weeks Free Trial

For multi-user price options, or to check if your company has an existing subscription that we can add you to for FREE, please email Adrian Tapping at atapping@newtonmedia.co.uk


More on this story

Copyright
Charity claims it owns ‘Happy Birthday’ copyright
16 November 2015   A children’s charity has stepped into the heated copyright dispute surrounding the popular “Happy birthday to you” tune, claiming it is the correct owner of the lyrics’ rights.
Copyright
No copyright to ‘Happy Birthday’ lyrics, judge rules
23 September 2015   A US judge has ruled that the lyrics to “Happy Birthday to You” are not protected by copyright, finding against music publisher Warner/Chappell.
Copyright
Film maker handed potential gift in ‘Happy Birthday’ copyright case
28 July 2015   A film-making company working on a documentary about the song “Happy Birthday to You” has filed new evidence that “proves conclusively that there is no copyright” to the lyrics.


Editor's picks

Renault vows action over car sales ban following patent suit loss
Patents
Renault vows action over car sales ban following patent suit loss
9 February 2026

Editor's picks

Patents
Renault vows action over car sales ban following patent suit loss
9 February 2026
Trademarks
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
26 January 2026
Trademarks
‘Alright, alright, alright’: Will Hollywood’s A-list follow McConaughey’s TM lead?
19 January 2026
In-House
US in-house counsel brace for funder-fuelled litigation in 2026
16 January 2026
In-House
Final call: Who are the world’s best in-house counsel?
16 January 2026
Patents
What IPR and PGR institutions mean under USPTO director Squires
12 January 2026

More articles

Top trial lawyer leaves Debevoise for premier corporate firm
Novo Nordisk takes on Hims & Hers after $49 pill ‘turnaround’
Why open source patent protection is about ‘the global public good’
General Motors collides with aftermarket car industry
INTA exclusive: ‘Davos of IP’ will take London meeting to a ‘different level’
How we won: Promptu counsel on its $240m victory against Comcast
YouTube creator files suit against Nvidia over AI training data
Music publishers hit Anthropic with $3bn copyright infringement lawsuit

  • Home
  • News
  • Directory
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Subscription

WIPR
Newton Media Ltd
Kingfisher House
21-23 Elmfield Road
BR1 1LT
United Kingdom

  • Twitter
  • Linkedin