These Songs and Recordings are now Free to use- Public Domain Day 2024

Every year, the copyright for thousands of songs, recordings, films, books, and more expire and enter the public domain. That makes them free to record, sample, use in videos, and more without restrictions or payment. As of January 1st, 2024, works from 1928 are open to use, as are sound recordings from 1923. The most famous work to become free this year is the film Steamboat Willie, featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse. But thousands of songs and sound recordings also entered the public domain. Duke University’s Center For The Public Domain , which studies copyright expirations and their effect on culture, shared some of the most famous songs, recordings, and films that are now free, including: Animal Crackers (musical starring the Marx Brothers; book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind and lyrics and music by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby), Mack the Knife (original German lyrics by Bertolt Brecht and music by Kurt Weill; from The Threepenny Opera), Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love) (Cole Porter; from the musical Paris), Sonny Boy (George Gard DeSylva, Lew Brown & Ray Henderson; from the film The Singing Fool starring Al Jolson), and many more. The famous film Steamboat Willie and sound recordings by artists like Louis Armstrong are now available for use by anyone without copyright restrictions.