Record Industry Braces for Artists’ Battles Over Song Rights.

Record Industry Braces for Artists’ Battles Over Song Rights.  Larry Rohter. New York Times.  August 15, 2011.
When copyright law was revised in the mid-1970s, musicians, like creators of other works of art, were granted “termination rights,” which allow them to regain control of their work after 35 years.  The record companies believe the termination right doesn’t apply to most sound recordings. The copyright law went into effect on Jan. 1, 1978, so the earliest any recording can be reclaimed is Jan. 1, 2013.  A resolution is probably not possible without a definitive court ruling.