Billboard, Motown 1966 unreleased, copyright

[Mike]

topic been mentioned a few times on here with the recent motown 1966 unreleased release,  billboard just took a look at it as below...

Why Unreleased Marvin Gaye, Supremes, Beach Boys Tracks Are Suddenly Appearing: EU Copyright Law

On Dec 30th, without much fanfare or marketing, Universal Music Group put out Motown Unreleased: 1966, a digital-only collection of 80 previously unavailable tracks by Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, and lesser-known performers like the Underdogs. It’s one of a few recent archival releases of music from 1966 that may appeal to hardcore fans – and they have the European Union to thank.

In 2011, the EU updated copyright law in a way that means officially unreleased material could fall into the public domain 50 years after it was recorded. That would mean any company would be free to release it. In order to keep the copyright to such recordings – the law applies to live as well as studio material – artists and labels have been releasing them in what some fans call “copyright collections.”

No one involved with Motown Unreleased: 1966 has said...

 

full story via...

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7654212/why-unreleased-marvin-gaye-supremes-beach-boys-tracks-are-suddenly

[Ady Croasdell]

As far as I know the 50 year copyright law which was changed to not include 1963 and after, applied to 50 years from the release date. If a 1961 recording was issued in 1963 then it wouldn't become available due to that law change. It's 50 years from the first commercial sale of the music.

I'll try and find out about Universal's odd policy, maybe they were advised wrongly.