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When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works entered the public domain in 2020. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works is not uniform.

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 70 years

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With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe at the end of the calendar year following 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. Russia has a 4-year extension to Life+ 70 (in essence Life+74) for authors who worked during World War II in the Soviet Union.[1][2] The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on January 1, 2020.

Names Country Death Occupation Notable work
James Truslow Adams United States 18 May 1949 Writer The March of Democracy
Virginia M. Alexander United States 1949 Physician Publications
Hervey Allen United States 28 December 1949 Author Anthony Adverse
Masaharu Anesaki Japan 23 July 1949 Historian History of Japanese Religion
Mary Antin United States 15 May 1949 Writer The Promised Land
Josef Maria Auchentaller Austria 31 December 1949 Artist Bunte Bände
Alice Bailey United States 15 December 1949 Writer Works
Rodolfo Garcia (pt) Brazil 14 November 1949 Historian
Hassan al-Banna Egypt 12 February 1949 imam Mudhakkirât al-da'wa wa al-dâ'iya
Philip Barry United States 3 December 1949 Playwright Holiday
Billy Baskette United States 8 November 1949 Pianist, composer Good Bye Broadway, Hello France
Rex Beach United States 7 December 1949 Writer, Olympic athlete The Spoilers
H. Bedford-Jones United States 6 May 1949 Writer The John Solomon series
Khalil Beidas Palestine 1949 novelist Works
Federico Beltrán Masses Spain 4 October 1949 Painter
Friedrich Bergius Germany 30 March 1949 Chemist Bergius process
Elsa Bernstein Austria 2 July 1949 Writer Königskinder
Musa Bigiev Russia 28 October 1949 Theologian Selected works
Elisheva Bikhovski Israel 27 March 1949 Writer, Translator Simta'ot
Henriëtte Blaauw [nl] Netherlands 15 February 1949 Writer
Gustavus M. Blech United States 9 August 1949 Physician Practical Suggestions in Borderland Surgery
Leonard Bloomfield United States 18 April 1949 Linguist Selected publications
George Botsford United States 1 February 1949 Composer
Robert Boudrioz France 22 June 1949 Film director, screenwriter The Man with a Broken Ear
Umberto Brunelleschi Italy 16 February 1949 Artist, Illustrator
Guillermo Buitrago Colombia 19 April 1949 Composer La Vispera de Año Nuevo
Harry Burleigh United States 12 September 1949 Composer, singer settings of spirituals
Helen Churchill Candee United States 23 August 1949 Writer, feminist Angkor the Magnificent
Reg Carter United Kingdom 24 April 1949 Cartoonist Big Eggo
N. D. Cocea Romania 1 February 1949 Journalist, Novelist Vinul de viață lungă
Richard Connell United States 22 November 1949 Writer The Most Dangerous Game
Carlo Conti Rossini Italy 1949 Orientalist Italia ed Etiopia dal trattato di Uccialli alla battaglia d'Adua
Dorothea Conyers Ireland 25 May 1949 Novelist
Will Cuppy United States 19 September 1949 Humorist How to be a Hermit
Stoyan Danev Bulgaria 30 July 1949 Jurist and politician
Norman Davey United Kingdom 6 June 1949 Engineer, Writer The Pilgrim of a Smile
Edgar De Lange United States 13 July 1949 Composer
Félix d'Herelle France 22 February 1949 Microbiologist Published works
Georgi Dimitrov Bulgaria 2 July 1949 Politician, revolutionary Georgi Dimitrov bibliography
Grigoraș Dinicu Romania 28 March 1949 Composer Hora staccato
Ali Douagi Tunisia 27 May 1949 sketch artist Sahirtu minhu al-layali
Alexander Drankov Russia
Soviet Union 		3 January 1949 photographer, cameraman, film producer
William Price Drury United Kingdom 21 January 1949 Writer, soldier, politician The Flag Lieutenant
Inés Echeverría Bello Chile 1949 Writer Entre Deux Mondes
Arthur Eichengrün Germany 23 December 1949 Chemist 50 Jahre Aspirin
Emil Elenius [fi] Finland 1 March 1949 novelist Silkkilaiva
James Ensor Belgium 19 November 1949 Artist Christ's Entry Into Brussels in 1889
Herbert Eulenberg Germany 4 September 1949 Writer Schattenbilder. Eine Fibel für Kulturbedürftige in Deutschland
August Fischer Germany 14 February 1949 Orientalist Arabische Chrestomathie aus Prosaschriftstellern
Victor Fleming United States 6 January 1949 Film Director The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind
James Forrestal United States 22 May 1949 Politician The Forrestal Diaries
Nikolay Gamaleya Russia 29 March 1949 Physician, microbiologist
Henri Giraud France 11 March 1949 General Mes Evasions, Un seul but; la victoire: Alger 1942-1944
Mikhail Golodny [ru] Russia 20 January 1949 Poet Song about Shchors
Ángel González Palencia [es] Spain 30 October 1949 Orientalist El amor entre los musulmanes españoles, El tesoro de los Nazaríes
Hari Singh Gour India 25 December 1949 Jurist, educator, writer The Penal Law of India
Martin Grabmann Germany 9 January 1949 Priest, Historian Thomas Aquinas: His Personality and Thought
Stanisław Grabski Poland 6 May 1949 Economist, Politician
Major Greenwood United Kingdom 5 October 1949 Epidemiologist Publications
Joan Lamote de Grignon Spain 11 March 1949 Composer La nit de Nadal
George Gurdjieff Armenia 29 October 1949 spiritual teacher The Herald of Coming Good
František Halas Czech Republic 27 October 1949 Poet, translator
Fritz Hart United Kingdom 9 July 1949 Composer, conductor
Syed Zafarul Hasan Pakistan 19 June 1949 Philosopher Realism
Kunihiko Hashimoto Japan 6 May 1949 Composer Azami no Hana
Will Hay United Kingdom 18 April 1949 Comedian, amateur astronomer Through My Telescope
Burton J. Hendrick United States 23 March 1949 Author The Life and Letters of Walter H. Page
Johann Jakob Hess Germany 29 April 1949 Egyptologist Von den Beduinen des inneren Arabiens
Ludwig Hohlwein Germany 15 September 1949 Poster artist
William Jackson Humphreys United States 10 November 1949 physicist Bibliography
Otto Hupp Germany 31 January 1949 graphical artist Wappen und Siegel der deutschen Städte, Flecken und Dörfer
Douglas Hyde Ireland 12 July 1949 linguist The necessity for de-anglicising the Irish nation
Edmond Jaloux France 22 August 1949 Novelist Works
Josep Maria Jujol Spain 1 May 1949 Architect Casa Batlló, Park Güell
Oskar Jellinek [de] Austria 12 October 1949 Writer Die Mutter der Neun
Clarence Jones United States 1 June 1949 Composer
Pierre Jouguet France 9 July 1949 Egyptologist Works
Unno Juza Japan 17 May 1949 Writer of science fiction
Anna Karima Bulgaria 6 March 1949 Writer and translator
Selâhattin Kantar Turkey 17 November 1949 playwright Kara Dana
Kim Ku South Korea 26 June 1949 Politician Diary of Kim Ku
Hans Kindler United States 30 August 1949 Conductor, cellist, arranger of music Recordings
Hugh Kingsmill United Kingdom 15 May 1949 Writer, journalist
Martin Knudsen Denmark 27 May 1949 Physicist The Kinetic Theory of Gases
József Koszta Hungary 29 July 1949 Painter Girl with Geraniums
Fritz Krischen Germany 15 July 1949 Archaeologist, Architect Die Stadtmauern von Pompeji und griechische Festungsbaukunst in Unteritalien und Sizilien
August Krogh Denmark 13 September 1949 Zoologist The Respiratory Exchange of Animals and Man
Albert Christian Kruyt Netherlands 19 January 1949 Ethnographer The Bare'e speaking Toraja of Central Sulawesi
Lead Belly United States 6 December 1949 Musician, songwriter Goodnight, Irene
Vasily Lebedev-Kumach Russia 20 February 1949 Poet The Sacred War
Fidelio Ponce de León Cuba 19 February 1949 Painter Niňos
Ernst Lommatzsch Germany 5 April 1949 Classical scholar Corpus inscriptionum latinarum: Vol. 1. Inscriptiones Latinae antiquissimae
Albert Howe Lybyer United States 1949 orientalist The Government of the Ottoman Empire in the Time of Suleiman the Magnificent
Carmen Lyra Costa Rica 13 May 1949 Writer Cuentos De Mi Tia Panchita
Antonio Machado Spain 22 February 1939 Poet Works
Maurice Maeterlinck Belgium 6 May 1949 Playwright Works
René Maire France 24 November 1949 botanist Flore de l'Afrique du Nord
Jane Mander New Zealand 20 December 1949 Novelist The Story of a New Zealand River
Klaus Mann Germany 21 May 1949 Novelist Mephisto
J. C. Mardrus France 1949 Orientalist Works
Paul Marc Germany 23 September 1949 Byzantine scholar Die hellenistisch-jüdische Literatur
Wilhelm von Massow Germany 21 April 1949 Archaeologist Das römische Trier
Elton Mayo Australia 7 September 1949 Psychologist Publications
Ibrahim al-Mazini Egypt 1949 Writer Spider Webs
Stefan Meyer Austria 29 December 1949 Physicist Radioaktivität
Margaret Mitchell United States 16 August 1949 Novelist Gone with the Wind
Axel Munthe Sweden 11 February 1949 Psychiatrist The Story of San Michele
Khalil Mutran Lebanon 1 June 1949 poet
Sarojini Naidu India 2 March 1949 Poet Works
Vladimir Nazor Croatia 19 June 1949 Poet, politician
Makino Nobuaki Japan 25 January 1949 Statesman Makino Nobuaki nikki
Vítězslav Novák Czech Republic 18 July 1949 Composer Bouře
Carlos Obligado Argentina 3 February 1949 Writer, critic March of the Malvinas
Sidney Olcott Canada 16 December 1949 Film director The Pony Express
Francesco Pasinetti Italy 2 April 1949 Film Director, screenwriter The Canal of the Angels
Elin Pelin Bulgaria 3 December 1949 Writer
Una Pope-Hennessy United Kingdom 16 August 1949 Historian Secret Societies and the French Revolution
Camillo Praschniker Austria 1 October 1949 Archaeologist Archäologische Forschungen in Albanien und Montenegro
Guillermo Tell Villegas Pulido Venezuela 25 July 1949 politician Works
Alfred Rehder United States 25 July 1949 Botanist Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs, Hardy in North America
Albert Rehm Germany 31 July 1949 Classical scholar Mythographische Untersuchungen über griechische Sternsagen
Gennaro Righelli Italy 6 January 1949 Film director, screenwriter Svengali
Tod Robbins United States 1949 writer Works
Julius Ruska Germany 11 February 1949 Orientalist Al Razi (Rhases) als Chemiker
Antoun Saadeh Lebanon 8 July 1949 Politician Nushu' al-Umam
E. Robert Schmitz France 5 September 1949 Composer The Piano works of Claude Debussy
Paul Schultze-Naumburg Germany 19 May 1949 Architect Die Kunst der Deutschen. Ihr Wesen und ihre Werke
Alexey Shchusev Russia 24 May 1949 Architect Lenin's Mausoleum
Nikos Skalkottas Greece 19 September 1949 Composer List of compositions by Nikos Skalkottas
G. E. M. Skues United Kingdom 9 August 1949 Writer, fly fisherman The Way of a Trout with the Fly
Frank Smythe United Kingdom 27 June 1949 Mountaineer, author, photographer The Kangchenjunga Adventure
Edith Somerville Ireland 8 October 1949 Novelist The Irish R.M.
Otto Stählin Germany 14 June 1949 Classical scholar Die hellenistisch-jüdische Literatur
Edward Stettinius United States 31 October 1949 Politician Roosevelt and the Russians
Herbert Stothart United States 1 February 1949 Composer, songwriter, conductor Score for The Wizard of Oz
Richard Strauss Germany 8 September 1949 Composer List of compositions
Harry Stack Sullivan United States 14 January 1949 Psychiatrist Works
Ali Mahmoud Taha Egypt 17 November 1949 Poet Nights of the Lost Sailor, Palestine
Edward Thorndike United States 9 August 1949 Psychologist Works
Joaquín Torres-García Uruguay 8 August 1949 Artist, writer
Gancho Tsenov Bulgaria 1949 Historian
Joaquín Turina Spain 14 January 1949 Composer Danzas fantásticas
Uemura Shōen Japan 27 August 1949 Artist Jo-no-mai
Sigrid Undset Norway 10 June 1949 Novelist Works
Shabbir Ahmad Usmani Pakistan 13 December 1949 theologian Fathul Mulhim Sharh Sahih Muslim
Raimond Valgre Estonia 31 December 1949 composer, musician
Josef Velenovský Czech Republic 7 May 1949 botanist Works
Oswald Garrison Villard United States 1 October 1949 Journalist, civil rights activist John Brown 1800-1859: A Biography Fifty Years After
Rosy Wertheim Netherlands 27 May 1949 Composer
Elin Wägner Sweden 7 January 1949 Novelist The Penholder
Lee "Lasses" White United States 16 December 1949 Pianist, songwriter, actor
E. H. Young United Kingdom 8 August 1949 Novelist and children's writer
Arthur Leo Zagat United States 3 April 1949 Writer, lawyer
Nikola Zhekov Bulgaria 1 November 1949 General Memoirs
Oton Župančič Slovenia 11 June 1949 Writer, translator Ciciban

Countries with life + 60 years

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In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Death Occupation Notable work
Santiago Key Ayala Venezuela 21 August 1959 Historian, diplomat
Haricharan Bandopadhayaya India 13 January 1959 Scholar, dictionary compiler
Barindra Kumar Ghosh India 18 April 1959 Journalist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram India 8 October 1959 Film lyricist
Abdur Razzaq Malihabadi India 1959 Writer
J. R. Rangaraju India 1959 Novelist
Govind Sakharam Sardesai India 21 November 1959 Historian

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 50 years

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In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, Canada, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay; a work enters the public domain at the end of the calendar year following 50 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Death Occupation Notable work
Alejandro G. Abadilla Philippines 26 August 1969 Writer Ako ang Daigdig
Sargis Abrahamyan Armenia 15 June 1969 Writer With Generations
Theodor W. Adorno Germany 6 August 1969 Philosopher Theodor W. Adorno bibliography
Ricardo Aguirre Venezuela 8 November 1969 Singer, Composer La Grey Zuliana
Ignacio Aldecoa Spain 15 November 1969 Author El fulgor y la sangre
Ikbal Ali Shah India 4 November 1969 Writer, diplomat Afghanistan of the Afghans
Edgar Anderson United States 18 June 1969 Botanist Introgressive Hybridization
Charlotte Armstrong United States 7 July 1969 Author A Dram of Poison
Marius Barbeau Canada 27 February 1969 Ethnographer Downfall of Temlaham
Daniel E. Barbey United States 11 March 1969 Naval Officer MacArthur's Amphibious Navy
Arthur K. Barnes United States 11 March 1969 Science-Fiction Writer Works
Emilio Bigi Paraguay 28 May 1969 Musician Renacer guarani
Charles Brackett United States 9 March 1969 Novelist, Screenwriter
Gabriel Chevallier France 6 April 1969 Novelist Clochemerle
Ivy Compton-Burnett United Kingdom 27 August 1969 Novelist Manservant and Maidservant
Richmal Crompton United Kingdom 11 January 1969 Writer, Teacher Just William series
Alexandra David-Néel Belgium
France 		8 September 1969 Explorer, Spiritualist Mystiques et magiciens du Tibet
Aleksandr Deyneka Russia 12 June 1969 Artist The Defense of Petrograd
Otto Dix Germany 25 July 1969 Artist The Trench
Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg Germany 5 August 1969 explorer, politician Ins innerste Afrika
Max Eastman United States 25 March 1969 Writer Reflections on the Failure of Socialism
Dwight D. Eisenhower United States 28 March 1969 Military Officer, statesman Crusade in Europe
Abo El Seoud El Ebiary Egypt 17 March 1969 Playwright, songwriter Afrita hanem
Olivia FitzRoy United Kingdom 24 December 1969 Author of children's books Orders to Poach
Botong Francisco Philippines 31 March 1969 Muralist The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines
Karl Freund Germany 3 May 1969 Cinematographer, film director The Mummy
Rómulo Gallegos Venezuela 5 April 1969 Novelist, politician Doña Bárbara
Witold Gombrowicz Poland 24 July 1969 Writer, playwright Ferdydurke
Walter Gropius Germany 5 July 1969 Architect Bauhaus
Walter Hahn [de] Germany 24 November 1969 Photographer Collection at Deutsche Fotothek
Wendell Hall United States 2 April 1969 Singer-songwriter It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
Ho Chi Minh Vietnam 2 September 1969 President Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
Karl Jaspers Germany 26 February 1969 Psychiatrist, Philosopher General Psychopathology
Jack Kerouac United States 21 October 1969 Writer On the Road
Norman Lindsay Australia 21 November 1969 Artist, Writer The Magic Pudding
Frank Loesser United States 28 July 1969 Songwriter Baby, It's Cold Outside, A Bushel and a Peck
Erika Mann Germany 27 August 1969 Writer, actress Zehn Millionen Kinder. Die Erziehung der Jugend im Dritten Reich
Gavin Maxwell United Kingdom 7 September 1969 Author Ring of Bright Water
Leo McCarey United States 5 July 1969 Film director, screenwriter The Bells of St. Mary's
Jimmy McHugh United States 23 May 1969 Composer South American Way
Atanasio Ndongo Miyone Equatorial Guinea 26 March 1969 Musician Caminemos pisando las sendas de nuestra inmensa felicidad
Meher Baba India 31 January 1969 Mystic God Speaks
Mikio Naruse Japan 2 July 1969 Film director, screenwriter Apart from You
Mutesa II of Buganda Uganda 21 November 1969 Statesman The Desecration of My Kingdom
Seabury Quinn United States 24 December 1969 Author, lawyer Roads
August Sang Estonia 14 October 1969 Poet Üks noormees otsib õnne
Muhammad Shahidullah Bangladesh 13 July 1969 Writer, philologist Bangla Sahityer Katha
Ben Shahn United States 14 March 1969 Artist Jersey Homesteads Mural
Osbert Sitwell United Kingdom 4 May 1969 Writer Before the Bombardment
Josef von Sternberg United States 22 December 1969 Film director Shanghai Express
Leonard Woolf United Kingdom 14 August 1969 writer, publisher The Village in the Jungle
John Wyndham United Kingdom 11 March 1969 Science-Fiction Writer The Day of the Triffids, The Midwich Cuckoos
Stoyan Zagorchinov Bulgaria January 1969 Writer Last Day, God's Day
Jorge Zalamea Colombia 10 May 1969 Writer, poet, journalist El Sueño de las Escalinatas
Gostan Zarian Armenia 11 December 1969 Poet, diarist The Ship on the Mountain
Nairi Zarian Armenia 12 July 1969 Poet, playwright Արա Գեղեցիկ
Jerzy Zawieyski Poland 18 June 1969 Playwright, novelist Dobrze, że byli
Leane Zugsmith United States 13 October 1969 Writer Stories for The New Yorker

Entering the public domain in Australia

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See also: Copyright law of Australia

In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with America and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which brought some European authors back into copyright, especially those who died from 1925 to 1944). Hence the work of an author who died before 1955 is normally in the public domain in Australia; but the copyright of authors was extended to 70 years after death for those who died in 1955 or later, and no more Australian authors would come out of copyright until 1 January 2026 (those who died in 1955).

Unpublished works by authors who died in 1949 entered the public domain on 1 January 2020.[3] Any published literary, artistic, dramatic, or musical work (other than computer programs) by a not generally known author (anonymous or pseudonymous) from 1949 also entered the public domain on that date.

Entering the public domain in the United States

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See also: Public domain in the United States
The United States Marine Band's rendition of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, which entered the public domain in the US in 2020.

Works that entered the public domain on January 1, 2020, in the United States include:

  • In general, works published in 1924 (including printed music). However, sound recordings that were first made prior to February 15, 1972, are treated as a special case under US copyright law, and under the Music Modernization Act, sound recordings published in 1924 will enter the public domain in 2025.
  • Books, films, and other works published in 1924 (under the Copyright Term Extension Act).[4]
  • Unpublished works whose authors died in 1949.

Some of the published works that entered the public domain[5] include the earliest sheet music[6] for George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Buster Keaton's silent comedy film Sherlock Jr.[7][8]

Worldwide

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In October 2020, satirical singer/songwriter Tom Lehrer announced the release of all of his lyrics and music to the public domain.[9]

On February 28, 2020, Sketchfab released 1.7 thousand 3D models of cultural artefacts into the public domain.[10]

On February 27, 2020, the Smithsonian Institution announced it will release 2.6 million images into the public domain.[11]

On January 14, 2020, Paris Musées released 100,000 images of artworks in the public domain.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "EU Extends Copyright Term To 70 Years | Billboard". Billboard.biz. 2011-09-12. Archived from the original on 2013-01-06. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  2. ^ Directive 2006/116/EC
  3. ^ "New copyright duration changes coming". Australian Government-Department of Communications & The Arts. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  5. ^ Douglas, Nick (4 November 2019). "These 1924 Copyrighted Works Enter the Public Domain in 2020". Lifehacker. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin, George)". International Music Score Library Project. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  7. ^ "1924 Copyrighted Works To Become Part Of The Public Domain". NPR. 2019-12-30. Archived from the original on 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  8. ^ "Public Domain Day 2020". Duke Law School's Center for the Study of the Public Domain. Archived from the original on 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  9. ^ "Satirist Tom Lehrer has put his songs into the public domain". Marketplace. 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  10. ^ Boissonneault, Tess. "Sketchfab introduces 3D model CC0 dedication for cultural institutions". voxelmatters.com. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  11. ^ Green, Cable. "Smithsonian Releases 2.8 Million Images + Data into the Public Domain Using CC0". creativecommons.org. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  12. ^ Katz, Brigit. "You Can Now Download Images of 100,000 Artworks From Prominent Paris Museums' Collections". smithsonianmag.com. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
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