Why Taylor Swift Doesn't Own Her Songs: The Story Behind the Master Recordings

Discover why Taylor Swift lost ownership of her songs and her journey to reclaim her music through re-recordings.

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Taylor Swift does not own her songs because she signed a contract early in her career with Big Machine Records, which gave the label ownership of her master recordings. When her contract ended, and she moved to a new label, she no longer had the rights to her old masters. Swift has since been re-recording her old albums to regain control over her music.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What are master recordings? Master recordings are the original recordings of a song, and owning the masters allows an artist to control how their music is used and distributed.
  2. Why did Taylor Swift leave Big Machine Records? Taylor Swift left Big Machine Records after her contract ended, seeking more creative freedom and ownership of her music.
  3. How many albums has Taylor Swift re-recorded? As of now, Taylor Swift has announced the re-recording of several albums, including 'Fearless' and 'Red', with more to come.
  4. Can artists regain ownership of their music? Yes, some artists re-record their music to regain rights over their songs, as Taylor Swift is doing, which allows them to take control of their artistic work.