Cliff Richard, among others, has been lobbying for copyright on sound recordings to be extended to 95 years rather than the current 50 but the UK government has turned down the proposal.
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has led the campaign to extend the number of years artists can receive royalties. Currently, performers in the UK can receive payments for 50 years, at which point their work goes out of copyright and they will earn no more royalties on it. The US extended copyright protection for sound recordings from 50 years to 95 years in 1998 and a recent survey has shown that almost two thirds of the British Public would support a similar extension. This, however, does still not see musicians being given the same rights as songwriters who get royalties for life plus 70 years.
Cliff had his first hit, ‘Move It’, in 1958 so the copyright and his royalty earnings on it will cease in just over a years time. Likewise, The Beatles will start losing their copyrights as of 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of ‘Love Me Do’.
Check out the BBC story for the full picture.
More information:

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6186436.stm
  
  
  

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