The music industry would not be the same without Taylor Swift. With 10 Grammys, 29 American Music Awards, 23 Billboard Awards, and over 114 million albums sold worldwide, it is safe to say she has made her mark on the world. The 31-year-old singer-songwriter is known for her large, extravagant actions with her music, and she will stop at no cost for what she wants.
Starting her career in 2005, Swift signed to her first record label with Big Machine Records. During her time with Big Machine, she released 6 studio albums with numerous number one hits. After 13 years with the label, in 2018 her deal was finally over with Big Machine. She announced that she would be switching to Republic Records and Universal Music Group. With this switch in labels, she would no longer own the masters to the first six albums she released. Here begins the feud between Swift, Big Machine, and her iconic comeback to the industry.
After attempting to negotiate a deal with Big Machine Records to gain mastery of her work, they denied her request. They told her that if she wanted to have any rights over her own music, she would have to resign with Big Machine and earn back each one of her albums. Big Machine was then sold to a private-equity music group, Ithaca Holdings for 300 million dollars. The new owner became Scooter Braun.
This shift in power became one of Swift’s worst nightmares for multiple reasons. If she was looking to gain ownership of her first six albums from the past possession, she can now kiss any of those dreams goodbye.
Braun has been on account for bullying Swift in the past. Music artists like Kanye West and Justin Bieber are managed by Braun. In 2009 at the Video Music Awards, West interrupted Swift’s victory for Best Female Video and humiliated her in front of thousands. Ever since then, Swift and West have had a rocky relationship on all accounts.
Swift continued to fight for the right to own the means, method of production and distribution of her work. Since her efforts were not working, she took matters into her own hands to take down Big Machine Records.
In 2019, Swift announced that she would re-record her first six studio albums, Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation. By doing this, she would now have full ownership of her work.
On April 19, 2021, she released Fearless (Taylor’s Version). She sold over 300,000 album equivalents within the first week of its release, along with it owning the Billboard Top 200 list.
In November of 2021, the next rerelease is set to come out. Red (Taylor’s Version) will include the original sixteen songs along with 14 new songs. Just like in Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red will include new songs that Swift is calling “From the Vault.” These are songs that were intended for the album upon the first release but never made it onto the album. Not only will the album feature Swift, but it will also have many guest appearances such as Chris Stapleton, Phoebe Bridgers, Mark Foster and Ed Sheeran.
Swift’s fanbase is so large and powerful that when this announcement came out, she was not worried that her plan would not work. The hope was to override the archival versions of her old music, while still allowing her fans to have access to her classics. Swift is one of the few to override the system and actually be able to pull it off.
Swift has been confronted by many in the media as to why she is taking on this large task. By re-recording all of her songs, she will be able to avoid purchasing the masters from Big Machine Records. From a capitalistic motive, this is an extremely smart move by Swift. Not only will this devalue the original forms of the songs, but it will move the attention to the rerecordings. This will hurt Big Machine Records right where it matters: sales.
“I think that artists deserve to own their work,” Swift stated in an interview with GMA. “I just feel very passionate about that.”
However one feels about Swift, it is difficult to not root for her in this endeavor. She has been at the top of the industry reaching from multiple different genres for over 15 years. Artists put their heart and soul into everything they produce. For Swift to want ownership of her life’s work is not much to ask for. She has become an inspiration to many for standing up to big industries and shutting down toxic male privilege. This victory is something that can be celebrated by Swift, her fans, and all the up-and-coming artists that are struggling with toxic music industry tactics.