After Success Of ‘Taylor’s Version’, Labels Spring Into Preventative Action
The impact of Taylor Swift’s re-recordings can’t be ignored, and it might change the way record labels do business in the future. Traditionally, new signees have had to wait for the latter of two periods before re-releasing their music, à la Taylor Swift; either 5-7 years from the music’s original release date, or two years after their contract has expired.
Now, it’s being reported that some attorneys are already receiving re-worked contracts from the big three (Universal Music Group. Sony Music Group, and Warner Music Group) in efforts to prevent this sort of success from re-recordings from happening again. Attorneys are now seeing everything from ten to thirty years until after the release of the music before an artist could re-record a track. “I think the majors are also trying to expand their re-record restrictions but in a more measured way — they are generally not yet able to get away with making such extreme changes,” said Gandhar Savur, attorney for multiple bands/artists including Cigarettes After Sex.
People look at the money and the “cultural moments” that these re-recordings have made, but it’s crazy that her original recording catalog is LOSING VALUE by the minute and labels can’t stop it from happening. To one of their biggest earners with one of the longest and most storied careers in modern day pop music. She galvanized not only her fans, but the general public, to fight for what’s right and she may have won this battle.
Taylor Swift’s dispute with Scooter Braun over the rights to her master copyrights has been a hot topic of debate. Regardless of how you feel personally, Scooter Braun made a business decision. Now hindsight is always 20/20, but tell you what my mom said…
“They shouldn’t have messed with Taylor.”
sourceshttps://www.billboard.com/pro/taylor-swift-re-recordings-labels-change-contracts/
