Final answer:
A copyright holder does indeed have the exclusive right to create derivative works from the original work. This exclusive right is part of the broader copyright protections that ensure the author or copyright owner maintains control over the transformations or adaptions of their work. Copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that a copyright holder has the exclusive right to create a derivative work from the original work. Copyright protection, provided by the laws of the United States for 'original works of authorship', grants the owner several exclusive rights. Among these rights, one prominent right is to prepare derivative works based upon the original work. This right is critical for ensuring that the author, or the holder of the copyright, maintains creative control over how the original work is transformed or adapted.
When it comes to musical works such as songs, the copyright holder would be the only one with the legal authority to authorize or produce variations or new works that are based on the original composition. For instance, only the copyright holder of John Legend's song 'All of Me' has the legal right to produce adaptations or new performances of that work. This exclusive right helps support the author's ability to benefit from their creation while also enabling them to protect the integrity of their work.
The copyright owner's rights typically last for the life of the author plus 70 years, ensuring a long duration during which these rights can be exercised and enforced. It is worth noting that if multiple authors have contributed to a work with the intent of creating a unitary piece, they are considered joint authors and share these exclusive rights collectively.