"Happy Birthday to You" is sung everywhere, but because it's copyrighted, it's rarely heard on TV or in movies. A filmmaker has filed a lawsuit seeking to make the song part of the public domain.

The “Happy Birthday” song is finally free to use after a landmark court ruling in the US that concluded it should be “dedicated to public use and in the public domain”.

Happy Birthday has been one of those properties where the rights are so muddied, everyone just strikes a deal and walks home. Today, those issues became a lot less complicated.

When Jennifer Nelson set out a few years ago to make a film about one of the most famous songs in history, she knew one thing for sure: She would have to pay if she wanted to use the song itself.

In the United States, “Happy Birthday to You”—one of the most popular songs in the world—is still under copyright. And it will be until 2030. While you’re free to sing the song in ...

The rights to the song “Happy Birthday to You” have been the subject of 80 years of legal battles, but they’re coming to an end on March 14. ... ‘Happy Birthday to You’ Is Finally Free.