Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. As the clock strikes midnight, several books, cartoon characters, and songs will enter the public domain. So, what does that mean?

Each year, dozens of classic songs, movies, and other cultural works reach the 95-year copyright maximum in the U.S., officially becoming part of the public domain. In 2026, a few beloved compositions ...

As the clock strikes midnight, several books, cartoon characters, and songs will enter the public domain. So, what does that mean? It means the 95-year U.S. copyright maximum has been reached, and ...