On January 1, 2026, thousands of copyrighted works from 1930 enter the US public domain, along with sound recordings from 1925. The literary highlights range from William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying to Agatha Christie's The Murder at the Vicarage and the first four Nancy Drew novels. From cartoons and comic strips, the characters Betty Boop, Pluto (originally named Rover), and Blondie and Dagwood made their first appearances. Films from the year featured Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, the Marx Brothers, and John Wayne in his first leading role. Among the public domain compositions are "I Got Rhythm," "Georgia on My Mind," and "Dream a Little Dream of Me." We are also celebrating paintings from Piet Mondrian and Paul Klee. Below you can find lists of some of the most notable books, characters, comics, and cartoons, films, songs, sound recordings, and art entering the public domain. After each of them, we have provided an analysis of their significance.

"On January 1, 2026, thousands of copyrighted works from 1930 enter the US public domain, along with sound recordings from 1925." Includes Betty Boop, Blondie & Dagwood, and works by William Faulkner, Agatha Christie, and the Marx Brothers. [web.law.duke.edu]

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-- kottke.org (@kottke.org) Dec 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM

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