• 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
  • No copyright to ‘Happy Birthday’ lyrics, judge rules
ruth-black-shutterstock-com-2
23 September 2015Copyright

No copyright to ‘Happy Birthday’ lyrics, judge rules

A US judge has ruled that the lyrics to “Happy Birthday to You” are not protected by copyright, finding against music publisher Warner/Chappell.

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
'Historic result': Happy Birthday public domain deal agreed
10 February 2016   Music publisher Warner/Chappell has agreed that “Happy Birthday to You” can enter the public domain and will pay out $14 million, in what has been described as a “historical result” by the film makers that brought the case.
Copyright
Parties celebrate as ‘Happy Birthday’ copyright dispute settled
10 December 2015   A copyright lawsuit centring on the song “Happy Birthday to You” has been settled out of court.
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.


Editor's picks

Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
Trademarks
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
26 January 2026

Editor's picks

Trademarks
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
26 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
Copyright
Top Gun: Maverick suit nosedives on copyright and contract claims
5 January 2026
Patents
PTAB year in review: A shifting landscape and outlook for 2026
2 January 2026

More articles

Apple stole webcam tech to dominate market, claims UK software firm
Firm adds seven-lawyer team in second major merger
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
Simpson Thacher adds ‘exemplary’ litigator with emerging tech expertise
Examining the USPTO’s 2025 AI Inventorship Guidance
30 years of the TRIPS Agreement—and the cracks are showing
Venner Shipley aims at 'M4 tech corridor' with new UK office
Cadwalader global head among trio moving to Orrick

  • 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