Public Domain Day is coming
Every year on January 1, creative works that were previously copyrighted go into the public domain. It's always fun to sift through the newly public domain works. Here are the top ten that caught my eye. We can now use these in our own projects without fear of getting sued!
1. Ice Cream (I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream)
Now your kids can sing this without fear of record companies going after them for royalties
2. The Gangs of New York, by Herbert Asbury
Yes, it's the book with the film of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz.
3. The works of Margaret Wise Brown
If you've read books to toddlers in the past, you're probably familiar with Goodnight Moon or Runaway Bunny.
4. The last of the Sherlock Holmes books from Arthur Conan Doyle
The estate of Arthur Conan Doyle has been fighting this moment tooth and nail, but alas, the last of the original Sherlock Holmes (as well as the its famous characters) books are going into the public domain.
5. The first three Hardy Boys novels
The Hardy Boys characters as they appeared in the first three novels will become public domain in a few weeks. Hulu announced that the upcoming third season of its Hardy Boys reboot will be the series' last. The upcoming expiration of copyrights might have something to do with that decision.
6. Steppenwolf, by Hermann Hesse
Another wildly popular book that I've never read.
7. Maya the Bee
I think the cartoons are on Netflix. My German friends know this character well.
8. Metropolis (1927 film)
Watch the trailer on IMDB. It's wild.
9. Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda
I've seen this book recommended by several successful entrepreneurs.
10. Mickey Mouse?
Not yet. It should expire on January 1, 2024, unless we see more shenanigans by Disney.
No comments.