For the first time in 95 years, it’s finally legal to remix George Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm.” The song entered the public domain earlier this week alongside other famous written and recorded work from the 1920s.
Most of these works were supposed to become available for unrestricted use in 2000. But after Congress extended their copyright protection for an extra 20 years, they continued gathering figurative dust… until this week.
Here are some other famous works that became available:
- The Man in the Brown Suit, the book by Agatha Christie
- A Passage to India, the book by E. M. Forster
- Old New York, the book by Edith Wharton
- The Gift of Black Folk, the book by W. E. B. Du Bois
- Rhapsody in Blue, the song by George Gershwin
- Lazy, the song by Irving Berlin
- The first film adaptation of Peter Pan
What’s in it for you? Besides the rights to remix a famous song, you could find ways to turn a profit on those creative properties.
Need a guide? Check out this Trends piece about one company that created a niche market for young people who want fancy Bibles.