Question of the Day #57 · May 19, 2026
The song 'Happy Birthday to You' was famously not in the public domain until a 2016 court ruling; before then, which company claimed ownership?
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Warner Chappell Music
Warner Chappell Music claimed copyright in the song’s lyrics and collected licensing fees for their use. A federal judge ruled in 2015 that it did not own a valid copyright; a 2016 settlement then secured a declaration that the song was in the public domain.