Who Owns the US National Anthem? Discover Its Public Domain Status

Learn about the ownership of the US national anthem, 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' and its public domain status.

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The US national anthem, 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' is in the public domain. Written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 and adopted as the national anthem in 1931, no one owns exclusive rights to it. This status allows anyone to perform, record, and distribute versions of the song without legal restrictions. However, individual arrangements and performances can be copyrighted.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What does it mean for a song to be in the public domain? A song in the public domain can be freely used, performed, and distributed without legal restrictions.
  2. Can I copyright my own version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'? Yes, while the original song is in the public domain, new arrangements and performances can be copyrighted.
  3. Who wrote the US national anthem? 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814.
  4. When did 'The Star-Spangled Banner' become the national anthem? 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was adopted as the national anthem in 1931.