In June 2019, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift came in dispute with her former record label, Big Machine Records, its founder Scott Borchetta, and new owner Scooter Braun, over the ownership of the masters of her first six studio albums. It was a highly publicized conflict that drew widespread attention and media coverage.
Swift signed her record deal with Big Machine Records in 2005 at age 15, giving the ownership of the masters of all the music on her albums released before her 2019 album, Lover, to the label. Swift signed a record deal with Republic Records in November 2018 after her Big Machine contract expired.
In June 2019, Braun acquired Big Machine Records and Swift's back catalog of master recordings as part of an estimated $300 million deal. Swift was reportedly not given the opportunity to buy back her masters before they were sold to Braun.
Swift was critical of Braun, alleging that he had bullied her and her friends in the past. She also expressed concern that Braun would prevent her from performing her older songs at live shows or using them in merchandise.
Braun denied Swift's allegations and said that he was committed to working with Swift to ensure that she could continue to perform her older songs.
The dispute between Swift and Braun continued for several months. In November 2019, Swift announced that she would be re-recording her first six studio albums in order to own the masters of her music.
Swift has since released two re-recorded albums, Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version). Both albums have been met with critical acclaim and commercial success.
The dispute between Swift and Braun has been a high-profile case study in the music industry's complex system of copyright ownership. It has also raised questions about the power of record labels and the rights of artists.
The outcome of the dispute is still uncertain. However, Swift's decision to re-record her albums has given her more control over her music and her career. It has also inspired other artists to consider re-recording their own music in order to own their masters.
The dispute between Swift and Braun is a reminder of the importance of copyright ownership for artists. It is also a reminder that artists have the power to fight for their rights.