Inside Taylor Swift’s Music Battle: What She Fought for and Why

by

Fresh insights have been disclosed regarding Taylor Swift’s struggle to gain mastery over her chart-topping music library.

On May 30, the Grammy-winning artist declared that she now has full rights to the original recordings of her first six studio albums.

In a statement posted on her website, Taylor Swift asserted that everything she’s ever produced musically – from albums to music videos, concert films, album art, photography, unreleased tracks, as well as the experiences and emotions connected to each phase of her career – all now falls under her ownership.

Ever since the beginning, my ultimate aspiration has been to work tirelessly towards owning my master’s degree outright, with no obligations or partnerships, granting me complete autonomy,” I expressed. “I will always be indebted to Shamrock Capital for being the first to extend such an opportunity to me. Their approach in every interaction has been transparent, equitable, and considerate. To them, this was a business transaction, but to me, it was about my memories, my labor, my personal touch, and decades of dreams.

Previously, Swift informed her fans about her struggle in the year 2020 following rumors that Scooter Braun, who acquired control of the masters after buying her previous label in 2019, later sold the rights to them for more than $300 million. In her statement, Swift expressed her intention to negotiate with Braun, but unfortunately, discussions never began because his team demanded that she sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) requiring her to only speak positively about Scooter Braun in the future.

Initially, Swift was thrilled about collaborating with Shamrock Capital, the company that bought her masters. However, her enthusiasm waned when she discovered that Braun would continue to benefit financially from her music for an extended period. This proved to be a deal-breaker for Swift.

Previously, a 35-year-old artist expressed her discontent upon discovering that the label, Big Machine Records, which had released six of her albums prior to the expiration of her contract, had been sold – taking ownership of her original master recordings with it.

In a Tumblr post dated July 2019, Taylor Swift revealed that she had been striving for quite some time to acquire ownership of her music, which encompasses her first six studio albums: “Taylor Swift” (2006), “Fearless” (2009), “SpeakNow” (2010), “Red” (2012), “1989” (2014) and “reputation” (2017).

Instead of being offered a chance to rejoin Big Machine Records and regain one album at a time with each new one submitted, Swift explained that she was given this option during contract negotiations. She chose not to sign the contract because she foresaw that Scott Borchetta would eventually sell the label, thereby losing control over her own music and future. This decision meant letting go of her past, which included songs written in her bedroom, music videos conceived and funded from her earnings as a struggling musician, eventually performing in bars, clubs, arenas, and stadiums.

In November 2004, just before her 15th birthday, Taylor Swift initially encountered Scott Borchetta. At that moment, Borchetta was employed under Universal Music Group, but he had already made up his mind to depart and establish his own record label within a year. After witnessing Swift’s performance at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Borchetta shared his plans with her family, guaranteeing a contract with his new label. Inspired by this, Swift chose to trust Borchetta, eventually signing a record deal with him and his freshly launched company, Big Machine Records.

Speaking as a lifestyle advisor, when I learned about Taylor Swift’s open letter concerning the sale of Big Machine Records to Ithaca Holdings, owned by Scooter Braun, she didn’t mince words about her feelings towards the buyer. She openly criticized Braun for his relentless, manipulative behavior that bordered on bullying.

This is my doomsday situation. This is what unfolds when you agree to a deal at fifteen with someone who views loyalty as merely a legal obligation,” she pointed out. And when that person states ‘Music has worth’, they’re referring to a value that is owed to men who had no hand in its creation.

Leaving my master recordings under Scott’s care, I accepted the inevitable truth that one day he would put them up for sale. I never thought the purchaser would be Scooter. Whenever I mentioned Scooter Braun to Scott Borchetta, it was either in tears or suppressing them. He knew what he was doing; they both did. They were controlling a woman who didn’t want to be linked with them forever.

Gratefully, I’m now with a label that feels I should retain ownership of what I produce, as shared by Swift after announcing her new musical family, Republic Records and Universal Music Group, back in November 2018. In essence, I entrusted my past to Scott, but not my future.

Through her latest acquisition, Swift now owns the master copies of every album she has written and co-written throughout her entire music career.

What makes the originals significant is that they serve as the foundation for all copies, which means that possessing them holds great value because they represent the original source of many reproductions.

As a lifestyle expert, I firmly believe that when it comes to your musical creations, maintaining ownership over your master recordings empowers you with creative freedom. This means you have the ability to make decisions on how and where your music is shared, ensuring you remain in control of its distribution channels.

He pointed out that when an artist holds their own rights, they have the upper hand during negotiations with record labels, allowing them to secure the most favorable conditions and controls.

Leave a blank space in your calendar for these T.Swift secrets.

Taylor Swift penned every single song on her “Speak Now” album without any assistance from co-writers; it was all her work. This album debuted in October 2010, when she was only 20 years old.

2. She spent her childhood on a Christmas tree farm, alongside her family, in Pennsylvania. This setting is reflected in the title track of her holiday song.

3. She’s named after James Taylor. That’s right, from one music legend to another.

4. She used to model for Abercrombie, similar to celebrities such as Channing Tatum, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Roberts, and Ashton Kutcher. In 2003, Taylor Swift also represented the brand.

5. In 2006, she presented Eric Church with his first gold record as a gesture of appreciation after he had been fired from Rascal Flatts’ tour earlier. Church humorously recalled that she called him after the firing and promised to give him her first gold record if he joked about it during the tour. True to her word, when she received her first gold record, she gave one to Church with a heartfelt note acknowledging his role in her career.

6. She possesses flexible elbows that bend beyond the average range. During her 2016 Vogue 73 questions interview, Taylor mentioned that she has an unusual ability. When asked about any “unusual or interesting” skills she might have, she responded by saying, “Well, I’m fully aware that this isn’t a talent per se, but it’s the only thing I can do. My elbows are double-jointed.

7. Her drink of choice? Vodka and Diet Coke, as revealed in that same Vogue video.

8. She disabled comments on her social media platforms to “shield herself from some of the distractions.” In her article for Elle, titled “30 Lessons Learned Before Turning 30”, Taylor stated, “Social media can be beneficial, but it can also overwhelm your mind with pictures of what you’re not, how you’re falling short, or who is in a more appealing location than you at any given time. One method I use to reduce this unwanted feeling of insecurity is turning off comments. Indeed, I disable comments on my posts. This way, I can share updates about my life with my friends and followers, but I’m teaching my brain not to rely on validation from others telling me that I look fantastic.

Initially, Taylor Swift had planned to call her seventh studio album “Daylight.” However, since this album was a sequel to “reputation,” she felt that “Daylight” might be too obvious a title. Then, when she wrote the song “Lover,” she decided to name the entire album after it instead.

10. Taylor Swift, at only 20 years old, became the youngest artist ever to receive the Album of the Year award, which she earned in 2010 for her critically acclaimed album, “Fearless.

2024 marked a historic milestone for Taylor at the Grammys, as she became the first female artist to secure four Album of the Year awards, with her albums Fearless, 1989, Folklore, and Midnights being the recipients.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d like to share an interesting fact: In the first few months of its release, my personal favorite artist’s album, “Lover,” surpassed the one million mark in pure sales within the United States, as reported by Chart Data. This impressive feat made it the only album in 2019 to reach this significant milestone.

13. Yet another historic achievement! At the 2019 American Music Awards, Taylor surpassed Michael Jackson’s record, making her the most decorated artist in the history of the AMAs.

14. Growing up, Taylor had dreams of becoming a stockbroker, much like her father. However, her destiny lay elsewhere – in the realm of music. Consequently, she and her family relocated from Pennsylvania to Tennessee to embark on her musical journey.

15. At about 12 years old, she picked up playing the guitar following some basic chord lessons from a tech repairing her computer. Subsequently, she penned down her debut single titled “Lucky You.

16. I’m absolutely smitten with Phoebe Waller-Bridge! When discussing my adoration for Fleabag, I shared with Entertainment Weekly, “She has this magical ability to make you laugh out loud, leave you in awe, and tug at your heartstrings within just a few minutes of the show.” Incredibly, I even had the honor of sharing the stage with her when she hosted SNL!

17. In 2009, Taylor penned a monologue for her performance on Saturday Night Live, an unusual move for celebrity guests. Impressively, she won over the team with her number “Monologue Song (La La La).

18. She’s been best friends with Selena Gomez ever since their shared history with the Jonas Brothers. (In case you missed it, Selena was there supporting her friend when she returned to Saturday Night Live in November 2021 to perform a ten-minute version of “All Too Well.”) Going back to 2008, Taylor Swift had a connection with Joe Jonas, while Gomez dated his younger brother, Nick Jonas. They soon became close friends and have remained so ever since. Taylor even offered to be the flower girl at Gomez’s wedding to fiance Benny Blanco.

19. Do you recall the “redhead Abigail” mentioned by Taylor in her hit song “Fifteen”? This is none other than Abigail Anderson, who remains Taylor’s close friend even today! Taylor was also a bridesmaid at Abigail’s wedding in 2017.

20. She holds the title of godmother, with that role being for Jamie King’s son, Leo Thames, as well as the close friends of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds – their daughters James, Inez, and Betty.

Taylor shared that the song is difficult for her to perform due to its personal nature, admitting that it can be challenging to both write, sing, and even listen to.)

22. Taylor Swift doesn’t use the app previously known as Twitter on her phone anymore. In a recent interview with Billboard, she shared, “I find myself feeling overwhelmed when I open Twitter, and I usually close it immediately. For some time now, I haven’t had Twitter installed on my phone because I prefer to limit my exposure to news. I keep up with politics, but I don’t want to know about celebrity breakups or fashion trends. My brain can only handle so much.”

23. Taylor mentioned in her interview with Rolling Stone in September 2019 that she relies heavily on conversations with her mother, who has been a witness to all the significant events in her life for the past 29 years. “It’s such a tedious process to explain the last 29 years of my life to someone, and my mom has already lived through it all.” In simpler terms, Taylor hasn’t sought therapy, but she leans on her mother as her primary confidante due to their shared history.

24. As stated in an interview, her preferred lyrics from the album “Lover” are: “Gentlemen and ladies, kindly rise / Every guitar string mark on my palm, I use it to embrace this powerful attraction towards this man, making him my beloved.

25. Taylor has become a billionaire! As per a Bloomberg report from October 2024, Taylor’s Eras Tour, which shattered industry records for more than a decade, contributed to her attaining billionaire status.

26. In 2019, the Netflix movie titled “Someone Great” served as an influential source for the musician’s music. She shared during an interview with Elvis Duran that the film moved her to tears, and for nearly a week she began waking up from dreams where she was living out the movie’s scenario. She explained, “It felt like it was happening to me.” The emotions and dynamics of the characters in the movie inspired lyrics in her head, which she later developed into a song when she went into the studio with Jack Antonoff. This collaboration resulted in Taylor’s hit single, “Death By a Thousand Cuts.

27. She sets aside a unique space for her deeply emotional tunes. Ranging from “All Too Well” to “The Archer”, this renowned artist typically positions a ballad in the final slot of her album compilations.

28. She’s no longer shying away from public appearances: In fact, she’s been openly supporting her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, at NFL games since 2023. As she put it to Time magazine, “A relationship being public means I get to watch him do what he loves, we support each other in front of others, and we don’t care about who’s watching.” Essentially, the opposite is hiding your relationship and going to great lengths to keep it secret, but they’re proud of each other instead.

Read More

2025-05-30 19:48