logo
Taylor Swift details masters ownership saga on "New Heights" podcast

Taylor Swift details masters ownership saga on "New Heights" podcast

Axios4 days ago
Taylor Swift opened up about the battle to own her masters during a rare podcast appearance on Wednesday that drew 1.3 million live viewers.
Why it matters: Swift's success with her re-recordings, The Eras Tour and buying her masters has reshaped how the music industry and artists think about rights.
What she's saying: "Re-recording my music, it was so exciting to get to have that opportunity. But ... I thought about not owning my music every day. It was like an intrusive thought that I had every day," Swift said, reflecting on her decision to re-record her albums.
Later on she shared, "Every time I think about it, it's like I have to tell the short version to everyone. ... I think about this every day now. But instead of it being like an intrusive thought that hurts me, it's I can't believe this happened. Like how lucky am I? How grateful am I?"
"I have so many new artists come up to me now and say, 'Hey, I didn't even know this was a thing and when I went to go and negotiate for my record deal, I negotiated to have my masters revert back to me after a certain amount of years or that I own them outright.'"
Zoom in: Swift provided the details about getting her masters back on "New Heights," the podcast hosted by her boyfriend and NFL star Travis Kelce alongside his brother and retired NFL player Jason.
Swift teared up as she noted how her mother and her brother, not lawyers or management, met with private equity firm Shamrock Capital, the owners of her masters, in Los Angeles to discuss a potential deal.
"They sat down with Shamrock Capital and they told them what this meant for me," Swift said. "They told them the whole story of all the times we've tried to buy it, all the times it's fallen through."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Taylor Swift On New Heights Podcast: A Marketing Masterclass For The Ages
Taylor Swift On New Heights Podcast: A Marketing Masterclass For The Ages

Forbes

time23 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Taylor Swift On New Heights Podcast: A Marketing Masterclass For The Ages

Taylor Swift was never sporty. At least, that what she said herself. Yet this week, she dominated one of the most male-coded corners of sports culture. On her record-breaking debut appearance on New Heights, the football podcast hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason, the global pop phenomenon openly admitted that until recently she didn't know the rules when it came to football. Making an appearance on a podcast by bros, for bros, Swift announced the release of her twelfth studio album, titled The Life of a Showgirl, drawing an audience of 1.3 million live viewers on YouTube, nearly double the audience that tuned in live to Donald Trump's much-hyped appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience during his 2024 election run. Taylor Swift Sets the Price It's hard not to see these numbers as a sweet win for Swift, especially in light of Donald Trump's September 2024 comments on Fox & Friends, where he dismissed her as someone who 'seems to always endorse a Democrat' warning she would 'probably pay a price for it…in the marketplace.' If this week proved anything, it's that when it comes to the cultural zeitgeist that is Swift, far from paying a price, Swift is a woman who sets the price, and the market has shown us time again, it's more than willing to pay. Taylor Swift Proves Women Can Expand Culture Of course, the NFL already knows what Swift means for its bottom line. Stadium shots of her in a red lip did more for ticket sales and broadcast ratings than most quarterbacks could dream of. And yet, much has been made and mocked of her relationship with Kelce and the NFL. She's been booed in stadiums, joked at by mainstream media, and roasted online to the extent that both the NFL and high-profile players have publicly defended her right to attend. Perhaps that's why the impact of this podcast appearance is even more significant. It offered proof that women don't just consume culture, they expand it. This was a two hour podcast episode that shattered decades of siloed marketing assumptions, proving audiences are far more fluid than the old playbook allows. It signaled that women's fandom is not niche. It moves markets, breaks records, and has the power to reshape industries. Whether it's ticket sales, album streams, or podcast viewership, the Swift phenomenon is measurable, massive, and undeniable. The Taylor Swift Effect: Viewership Earthquake The numbers speak for themselves. Swift's appearance didn't just break records, it reshaped the audience. Within 24 hours of the episode's release, female viewership on Spotify increased by over 600%, marking the largest single-day demographic shift in New Heights' history, with Spotify reporting, the episode had become one of this past year's highest-performing podcasts within just one day of its release Taylor Swift Shows Curiosity Is Currency It further demonstrated that curiosity has huge commercial leverage. Swift did not posture as an authority on the NFL, instead admitting she didn't know what a tight end was when her and Kelce first connected, and is now as she describes 'obsessed' with the sport. That admission is more than charming self-deprecation- it's a direct challenge to decades of sports culture that has often patronized or dismissed women's interest whose engagement was rarely seen as influential. Swift's approach flipped that script entirely. By showing that enthusiasm, curiosity, and authenticity can resonate with millions of viewers, she sent a message that influence isn't just about technical mastery and enthusiasm can be as influential in growing viewership as expertise. The opportunity lies in connecting audiences, breaking assumptions, and reshaping who gets to matter in sports culture. Taylor Swift's Masterclass in Modern Influence In an era where media, sports, and politics compete for attention, Taylor Swift has shown us just how cultural influence is evolving. For two hours, Swifties and sports fans shared a moment that made her more than a performer: she became a connector, wielding a form of soft power rarely seen so visibly from women. This wasn't just a record-breaking media moment- it was a masterclass in marketing in the digital age, where shaping culture, connecting communities, and turning curiosity into commerce defines success.

Khalen Saunders traded from Saints to Jaguars on same day he played Jaguars for Saints
Khalen Saunders traded from Saints to Jaguars on same day he played Jaguars for Saints

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Khalen Saunders traded from Saints to Jaguars on same day he played Jaguars for Saints

Player for player trades are rare in the NFL these day. But the players having gone against one another on the same day? Even if it was a preseason Week 2 tie, that still has to be like seeing a bald eagle. The New Orleans Saints sent defensive tackle Khalen Saunders to the Jacksonville Jaguars for center Luke Fortner on Sunday, Aug. 17, after the two teams tied at 17. Saunders and Fortner still managed to end the day as enemies despite switching teams. Saunders won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to starting 27 of 30 possible games over the last two seasons for the Saints. He started for the Saints on Sunday. Fortner entered for the Jaguars as a backup. Saunders had one of the most notable moments in prime time during the 2024 season. During the Saints' Week 5 loss to the Chiefs, Saunders picked off Patrick Mahomes while dropping into coverage in the end zone late in the third quarter. Saunders, listed at 325 pounds, rumbled 37 yards up the field before being brought down. Coincidentally enough, his brother, Kameron Saunders, was a backup dancer for Taylor Swift on the "Eras Tour." Khalen Saunders was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2019 and spent his first four seasons of his career with the team. During the offseason, the Saints bolstered the defensive line by trading for Davon Godchaux and signing Jonathan Bullard. Fortner is a fourth-year guard from the University of Kentucky who lost his starting spot last season and is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Conservatives mock Comey over Taylor Swift video
Conservatives mock Comey over Taylor Swift video

The Hill

time2 hours ago

  • The Hill

Conservatives mock Comey over Taylor Swift video

Conservatives are mocking former FBI Director James Comey over a post he made on his Substack on Sunday in which he discussed his admiration for pop superstar Taylor Swift. The post features a video of Comey calling Swift 'a truly inspirational public figure' and noting her recent appearance on NFL stars' Jason and Travis Kelce's podcast 'New Heights.' 'Taylor Swift and I go way back. I went to my first concert of hers 15 years ago. I've been to a second and I have helped financially support the attendance of a lot of family members and others. I'm in a family's Swiftie group chat. I know all her music, and I listen to it in my headphones when I cut the grass,' Comey said in the video. In response to Comey's video, conservative personality Benny Johnson said that 'A new James Comey hostage video just dropped.' 'This time he calls himself a 'Swiftie' and says Taylor Swift helps him cope with Donald Trump. You really can't make this up,' Johnson added in a Sunday post on the social platform X. In the Comey video, the former FBI director also states that 'we need to stand up to jerks and defend what matters, but I think we have to try to do that without becoming like them, which is what makes me think about Taylor Swift.' 'She's made clear that she sees Donald Trump for what he is, and last year, she urged Americans not to make the serious mistake of electing him,' Comey added. 'Of course, we're now living with the consequences of that mistake, but while our elderly makeup- covered president is posting about whether Taylor Swift is still hot and declaring that he can't stand her, what's she doing? Living her best life.' Conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza also said on X Sunday that Comey was attempting 'now to come across as a normal guy, a Taylor Swift fan, and a champion of civility and decorum' in the wake of 'using his power for years to entrap Trump, Flynn and others.' The Hill has reached out to a representative for Comey and the White House for comment. Comey was fired as FBI director by Trump during his first term, and the two have feuded for years. Earlier this year, Comey made waves when he posted an image of shells on a seashore spelling out '86 47.' He deleted the post after criticism, saying he did not recognize it as something that could be seen as promoting violence toward the president. Comey's daughter, Maureen Comey, was fired in July from her job as a prosecutor for the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The firing was largely seen as politically motivated given Trump's feelings for Comey and his desire for loyalists throughout his administration.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store