When we hear a song on the radio, it’s easy to assume the song belongs to the singer. But does it really? Earlier this summer, Taylor Swift shared her disgust on social media about how her previous record label CEO Scott Borchetta sold Swift’s masters to infamous pop music manager Scooter Braun. Many musicians do not own their own masters, which is the legal control over an artist’s physical recording. Swift was shocked to find out that Borchetta sold her life’s work to Braun specifically, who is known for engaging in questionable management practices for artists such as Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber.
But, this isn’t the end of the story. Swift refused to allow Braun to own her entire music catalogue (except her latest album Lover, with which she owns the masters to), including songs she wrote in her high school diary on her bedroom floor. He might have control over the physical studio recordings that are on her existing albums, but Braun does not own her personal lyrics, melodies, and creativity. This means that Swift can legally rerecord her music, essentially making second studio tracks from her old music. So, “Love Story” (2010) will still exist, but listeners will also have the option to listen to a new “Love Story,” that Swift will record starting in November 2020.
At this time, fans are unclear as to what the rerecordings will sound like. Does Swift plan to keep the songs as similar as possible to their original versions? Will she update or change the tracks in any way? Swift mentioned in an interview that she will be listening to the fans for guidance. She believes that the fans would want to keep her songs as classic as possible, but we can also expect new/old tracks that might not have made the original album cut.
Taylor Swift has shown the world that no matter what, she always gets the last laugh. No matter what obstacles arise in her career, she consistently comes out on top. While we eagerly await the new recordings, Swift encourages her fans to stream HER OWN new album Lover, “the healthier option.”