[svcw]

Is there such a thing as public domain songs?

[Publius Valerius]

Yes.

[kjam22]

Is there such a thing as public domain songs?

Yes.... but they gotta be older than 1980s vintage. And pubic domain speaks to the right to "re-record" them as in make a new version. Not to make a digital copy somebody's existing version.

[Stark_GOP]

I believe music can be copyrighted for a number of years then it can fall in public domain.
A musical groups performance can also be copyrighted.

This is off the top of my head.

p.s. Restaurants will not sing “Happy Birthday” to you because it is still copyrighted. That’s why they sing their own made-up song.