A musical work is in the public domain if it is no longer under copyright protection or if it failed to meet the requirements for copyright protection. Works in the public domain may be used freely without the permission of the former copyright owner. Musical works in the public domain may be reproduced and distributed as a phonorecord without the need for mechanical licenses and royalties. Determining if a musical work is in the public domain is often complicated. For help in finding the answer, explore these resources:
Copyright Office circular on the duration of copyright protection: https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf
Public Domain Information Project: https://www.pdinfo.com/
