Taylor Swift Update Could Cause Major Concern for Future Album Release

Yahoo

05-05-2025

Taylor Swift's fans have been eagerly awaiting "Reputation (Taylor's Version)," but a critical deadline is approaching.
The "Love Story" singer has until Aug. 16 to release the album or provide evidence of its commercial use to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Failing to do so could result in the loss of exclusive rights to the "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" name.
While the music itself remains hers to release at any time, the album name and branding could be compromised if the deadline isn't met. With no official release date announced, fans are growing anxious. Could this legal technicality be the reason behind the delay, or a sign that the album may not arrive as expected?
If Swift does not meet this deadline, the trademark application will be considered abandoned, and she will need to refile and restart the process.
In 2019, the 35-year-old singer announced her plans to re-record her first six albums in order to regain artistic and financial control after her former record label, Big Machine Records, sold them in a reported $300 million deal. She signed with Big Machine in 2005, which is owned by Scooter Braun.
Her first six albums include her self-titled debut album "Taylor Swift" (2006), "Fearless" (2008), "Speak Now" (2010), "Red" (2012), "1989" (2014) and "Reputation" (2017).
All of them have been re-recorded and released between 2021 and 2023, except "Reputation" and her self-titled album. These re-recorded versions are labeled "Taylor's Version" and include bonus tracks. She owns the masters for her "Taylor's Version" albums, but they are distributed under her current label, Republic Records. She signed with them in 2018 after her contract expired with Big Machine.
Although Big Machine owned the masters, Swift retained the publishing rights to the albums due to her role as the main songwriter of all of the songs she had released under the label. This allows her to re-record the songs in the future if she desires. The Grammy-winner would not have been able to re-record her musical work had she not been a songwriter.
Taylor's trademark attorney filed requests for the fifth and final extensions for both "Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)" and "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" on Jan. 23, according to Gallium Law.
One valid reason why Swift hasn't yet re-recorded the 2017 album and her self-titled debut album could be her demanding schedule over the past two years.
From March 2023 to December 2024, she embarked on her "Eras Tour," performing 149 shows across five continents. The singer also released her 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," in April 2024, which also included a double album surprise release, "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology."
Given these commitments, it's understandable that the re-recordings might have been delayed. However, with the Eras Tour concluded, "TTPD" released and this legal deadline swiftly approaching, fans are hopeful that "reputation (Taylor's Version)" and "Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)" will be her next focus.