Rock Veterans Win Copyright Fight

According to the BBC, the EU Council on Monday ruled that artists will retain rights over their work for 70 years - a 20 year increase on the existing time limit. If the council had ruled the other way, we would have seen artists such as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, the Kinks and many others losing control of their music in the next few years.

Aside from the obvious financial benefits for musicians, their was an issue of usage to consider. In a few years any of the 50 year old songs would have been free to use by anyone - e.g. advertisers - without consulting the songwriters. 

Rolling Stone Mick Jagger told the BBC that the EU's decision was "obviously advantageous" to musicians.

"Obviously the record business is not what it was, so people don't earn as much as they used to," he said. "The royalties can extend their lives and the lives of their families who inherit their songs."

Announcing the ruling, the council of the European Union said: "Performers generally start their careers young and the current term of protection of 50 years often does not protect their performances for their entire lifetime.

"Therefore, some performers face an income gap at the end of their lifetimes."

The BBC reports that the new law also includes a number of provisions designed to ensure that musicians see a fair proportion of the extra income, including a fund for musicians who signed away their rights when a recording was made.

The fund will be financed by record labels, who put aside a percentage of the benefits they get from the prolonged copyright.

There is also a clause to allow performers to renegotiate contracts with record labels after 50 years.

And artists will be able to regain the rights to a recording if their label has kept it in a vault and not made it available to the public.

(BBC)