[Connie Ellison]

Hi, I want to play 50s 60s music as well as skaface, mod. Records that were brought in the 50s 60s. And CDs. No modern stuff. Are these non copyright. I also play new bands music on they own discs to help promote them . My question is do I need a PRS licence for this music.thanks

[ebaines]

In the US the duration of copyrights is a complicated subject, having to do with when the work was first published, and if prior to 1976 whether the author applied for a copyright extension. If you want the details check here: Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United Statesf

In essence works first published prior to 1923 are now in the public domain. Works published without copyright notice prior to 1989 are also in the public domain. But works published with copyright notice (which I'm sure all commercial recordings have been) are protected for a term equal to life of the author plus either 70 or 95 years. So - you may use any music first published in 1923 or earlier; virtually any commercial recording made after 1923 requires a license.

As a side note: my wife's grandfather was a composer and band leader in the 1930's and 40's - he passed way in 1976 and his heirs still receive occasional checks from ASCAP for radio station air play or sales of his recordings from that time.