The American copyright status of 'Happy Birthday to You' began to draw more attention with the passage of the Copyright Term Extension Act in 1998.

In the European Union, the copyright for the song expired on January 1, 2017. By one estimate, the song is the highest-earning single song in history. In February 2010, the royalty for a single use was US$700. Warner claimed that the United States copyright would not expire until 2030, and that unauthorized public performances of the song are illegal unless royalties are paid. In 1988, Warner/Chappell Music purchased the company owning the copyright for US$25 million, with the value of 'Happy Birthday' estimated at US$5 million. The Summy Company registered a copyright in 1935, crediting authors Preston Ware Orem and Mrs.

None of the early appearances of the 'Happy Birthday to You' lyrics included credits or copyright notices. The combination of melody and lyrics in 'Happy Birthday to You' first appeared in print in 1912. The sisters used 'Good Morning to All' as a song that young children would find easy to sing. Patty Hill was a kindergarten principal in Louisville, Kentucky, developing teaching methods at the Little Loomhouse her sister Mildred was a pianist and composer. Warner Chappell Music had previously claimed copyright on the song in the US and collected licensing fees for its use in 2015 the copyright claim was declared invalid and Warner Chappell agreed to pay back $14 million in licensing fees. The song is in the public domain in the United States and the European Union. Hill in 1893, although the claim that the sisters composed the tune is disputed.

The melody of 'Happy Birthday to You' comes from the song ' Good Morning to All', which has traditionally been attributed to American sisters Patty and Mildred J. The song's base lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages. According to the 1998 Guinness World Records, it is the most recognised song in the English language, followed by ' For He's a Jolly Good Fellow'. ' Happy Birthday to You', also known as ' Happy Birthday', is a song traditionally sung to celebrate a person's birthday.

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