Paul McCartney's Suit over Songs' Recapture Rights

Paul McCartney has long wanted to reclaim ownership of his share of the copyrights to "Love Me Do," "Ticket to Ride" and numerous other Beatles hits he co-wrote with John Lennon. But the unfavorable December 2016 decision by a British judge in a copyright termination dispute involving the 1980's hitmakers Duran Duran raised some doubts — at least in the minds of Sony/ATV Music Publishing and its counsel — about whether the U.S. copyright law rights can supersede valid contracts assigning away musical rights and also prevent Paul McCartney from exercising his termination rights.

8 minute read February 01, 2017 at 12:05 AM
By
Stan Soocher and Scott Graham
Paul McCartney's Suit over Songs' Recapture Rights

Paul McCartney has long wanted to reclaim ownership of his share of the copyrights to “Love Me Do,” “Ticket to Ride” and numerous other Beatles hits he co-wrote with John Lennon.

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