London - It’s time to blow out the candles and cut the cake – after a settlement has been approved that will put the song Happy Birthday into the public domain.
US District Judge George King approved the agreement on Monday. It ends the ownership claims of Warner/Chappell Music, the music publishing company that has been collecting royalties on the song for more than 20 years.
The firm has agreed to pay back pver $14 million to those who have paid licensing fees.
Last year, King ruled that the company didn’t own the lyrics to the song, only some musical arrangements– and thus the company had no right to charge for its use.
Warner/Chappell has said it only collected royalties for those who used it commercially.
Daily Mail