A groundbreaking federal court ruling in Louisiana has significantly impacted global music copyright law by determining that U.S. copyright termination rules apply worldwide. The case centers on songwriter Cyril Vetter and the 1963 track "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)."

The ruling allows Vetter to reclaim full copyright ownership from publisher Resnik Music Group for all territories globally. This decision challenges the traditional understanding of termination rights under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, which previously was thought to apply only within U.S. borders.

Key Points of the Case:

• The song was written in 1962 by Don Smith and Cyril Vetter
• Original rights were sold to Windsong Music Publishers in 1963 for one dollar
• Copyright renewed in 1994 for another 28 years
• Smith died in 1972; his heirs sold their share to Vetter
• Windsong sold rights to Resnik Music Group in 2019
• Vetter exercised termination rights in 2022, 56 years after the original copyright

Resnik Music Group argues this ruling will create industry chaos, disrupting the established international copyright system developed over a century. They contend this would make copyright dependent on country of origin rather than the traditional system where protection is claimed.

The Court's decision is expected to face appeals, as Resnik's legal team has already attempted to challenge the ruling. This case could fundamentally reshape how music copyright termination functions globally, potentially affecting countless existing music catalogs and future copyright agreements.

Related Articles

Previous Articles