McCartney Times

January 19, 2017 —Paul McCartney wants the rights to his songs back – and he’s doing everything he can to ensure that his latest opportunity to reclaim them doesn’t slip through his fingers.On Wednesday, Sir Paul filed a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan. In the suit, he asked a judge to confirm that he wouldn’t be breaking a contract by retrieving a collection of his songs under copyright termination law. The law allows artists to reclaim the rights to their work after a certain number of years, but executives at Sony – which owns the rights to these songs – had suggested that McCartney’s work was not eligible, thanks to contracts he signed in Britain.The suit could be a key battle in the sphere of music copyrights. Not only is the collection of classic Beatles songs one of the most valuable in the world, but it could also set an important precedent for artists who sign contracts outside the United States.“A judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate at this time so that Paul McCartney can rely on quiet, unclouded title to his rights,” the filed lawsuit read, according to the Associated Press.

Source: Paul McCartney sues Sony to regain control over 267 Beatles songs – CSMonitor.com