Blue Suede Shoes

This sound recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins is determined to be PROTECTED under U.S. copyright law, specifically because it was fixed on or after February 15, 1972. The Music Modernization Act (MMA) of 2018, codified primarily in 17 U.S.C. § 1401, established new federal protection for sound recordings. For recordings fixed on or after February 15, 1972, such as this one from 1995, the standard federal copyright terms apply. This means the recording is protected for a term equivalent to life of the author plus 70 years, or 95 years from publication for works made for hire or anonymous/pseudonymous works. Since this specific recording's earliest known release date is 1995, it clearly falls into the category of recordings fixed post-February 15, 1972. The MMA's provisions ensure that these newer recordings benefit from full federal copyright protection, rather than the patchwork of state laws that previously governed older sound recordings. Therefore, this 1995 recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins enjoys federal copyright protection. It is crucial to note that this analysis pertains exclusively to the sound recording itself – the specific performance captured and fixed in 1995. The underlying musical composition (the lyrics and melody of "Blue Suede Shoes," written by Carl Perkins in 1955) is an entirely separate copyrightable work. That musical composition's copyright status is determined by earlier federal copyright laws applicable to musical works and may have a different protection duration or status.