# Who receives the royalties?



## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

This has me puzzled. For deceased composers, who receives the artist's royalties for all the CD sales? Is it passed down to descendants or have the rights for most composers' works been gobbled up by moguls or record companies?

I know the conductor and performers must receive their cut of royalties but the composer must deserve a slice too - or do the compositions become public domain upon their death?


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

As to the public domain part, there are laws in each country that differ slightly. In the US, a composers work generally does not become public domain until 70 years after their death. 

As to the first part, sometimes the royalties are funneled into "artists trusts" where grant monies can be applied for by up an coming new musicians. How one finds out about those, I haven't a clue.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Legally the money should go into the composers estate and should through that be passed onto the benefitors in the Will. Im sure there are probably loopholes being exploited however.

Copyright law usually remains until about 100 years after the authors death upon which it enters the public domain.


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