Latest news with #rerecording
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Got Her Old Albums Back, But Her Re-Records Were Still a Massive Success
It was one of the most ambitious musical endeavors ever, as well as one of the most implacable and successful: Taylor Swift's decision to re-record her back catalog after Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings acquired the rights to her first six albums when it purchased Swift's old label, Big Machine. Swift began teasing this project just months after the Ithaca/Big Machine deal closed in 2019, but it wasn't until 2021 that she officially launched the Taylor's Version campaign. She went on to drop re-recorded versions of four albums, starting with Fearless and Red, followed by Speak Now and 1989. Along with completely redoing the original albums, Swift also shared new versions of previously unreleased tunes, most notably a 10-minute version of her masterpiece, 'All Too Well.' More from Rolling Stone How Taylor Won Taylor Swift's Vinyl Records Are on Sale After Revealing She Now Owns All of Her Music Taylor Swift Reveals Why She Hasn't Released 'Reputation TV' Yet: 'I Kept Hitting a Stopping Point' The logic behind the Taylor's Version campaign was bitingly to-the-point: The re-records would allow her to reclaim some control over her music, while it would also ostensibly dilute the value of the original recordings. Swift's fans, devoted as ever, greeted each release with characteristic enthusiasm, and all four Taylor's Version albums topped the Billboard 200 albums chart. On Friday, May 30, Swift announced that she'd finally bought back the rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Holdings (which acquired the catalog from Ithaca in 2020). Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Swift wrote in a letter she was able to complete purchase thanks to the massive success of the Eras Tour and the 'passionate support' her fans showed the re-records. By the numbers, the success of the Taylor's Version records is remarkable. According to data from Luminate, all four albums have garnered at least two billion on-demand streams in the United States since their release, through May 22. Fearless and Speak Now accumulated 2.7 billion and 2.1 billion streams, respectively; Red has racked up 7.5 billion streams; and 1989 has led all four albums with an astonishing 8.2 billion streams. Each re-release spawned several successful singles as well, with new versions of old hits like 'Love Story,' 'Wildest Dreams,' 'Style,' and 'State of Grace' cracking the Top 20 again. While none of those re-recorded songs charted quite as high as the originals ('Love Story' peaked at Number Four, while the TV reached Number 11, for instance), Swift's re-record of her Speak Now favorite 'Enchanted' peaked way higher on the Hot 100 (Number 19) than its original ever did (Number 75). Unsurprisingly, where Swift saw the most success in terms of singles was the 'From the Vault' tracks. Her 10-minute version of 'All Too Well' from Red (Taylor's Version) went to Number One on the Hot 100, becoming the longest chart-topper in history to boot. Meanwhile, Speak Now (Taylor's Version) spawned the vault hit 'I Can See You,' which reached Number 5, while 1989 (Taylor's Version) featured several Top 10 hits: 'Is It Over Now?' (which also hit Number One), 'Now That We Don't Talk,' 'Suburban Legends,' and 'Slut!' Many of Swift's vault collaborations did well, too. 'I Bet You Think About Me' with Chris Stapleton reached Number 22; 'You All Over Me' with Maren Morris hit Number 51; and 'Nothing New' with Phoebe Bridgers peaked at Number 43. Still, the reality of Swift's massive popularity and the tremendous impact of those first six albums, meant it would be difficult for any re-record to outright match, or surpass, the success of the original records. The one that definitely achieved this feat was 1989, with Taylor's Version selling more than 1.3 million copies during its first week, just surpassing the 1.28 million the original sold during its opening week. (Ironically, the announcement of the 1989 re-record caused streams of the original album to double, with fans seeking out the LP in anticipation.) But within the context of the Taylor's Version project, the four re-releases almost certainly achieved their primary objectives: Entertain fans and keep them more engaged than they already were during a four-year span during which Swift also dropped two totally new albums — Midnights and The Tortured Poets Department — and toured the world. And, most importantly, the drew listeners away from the original recordings she did not own. Data from Luminate shows that the Taylor's Version records were a whopping success in this regard. In the period between each TV album release and May 22, only one original album outperformed the re-record: Fearless, which racked up a surprisingly impressive four billion streams compared to the 2.7 for the Taylor's Version. Meanwhile, the original Speak Now was streamed two billion times, just below the Taylor's Version tally of 2.1 billion. As for Red and 1989, the TVs were substantially more successful than the originals. After Red (Taylor's Version) arrived in late 2021, it picked up 7.5 billion streams while the original earned just 3.7 billion. And following the release of 1989 (Taylor's Version) in October 2023, it garnered 8.2 billion streams while the original picked up a comparatively measly three billion. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Taylor Swift now owns ALL her music
After a long running legal battle, Taylor Swift is now the owner of ALL of her 2019, the master recordings for Taylor's first six albums were sold in a big music deal worth millions. That meant that although they were her songs, she did not own the rights to them and wasn't in charge of her own response to the deal she started to re-record her albums, renaming them 'Taylor's Version'.But she has now bought back the ownership of those albums. In a letter to her fans last night, she said she's been "bursting into tears of joy"."To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it," she added, thanking fans for their support as the drama played out."I can't thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but have never owned until now."I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away," she wrote."But that's all in the past now."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Reclaims All of Her Music
Taylor Swift Reclaims All of Her Music originally appeared on L.A. Mag. Taylor Swift finally gained control of her entire recording catalogue after years of effort. She announced the news through an Instagram post on Friday, directing fans to read a letter on her website. 'All I've ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings attached, no partnership, with full autonomy,' Swift wrote in her thanked her fans for their encouragement and Shamrock Capital for being the first to offer this deal to her. She also wrote about her re-recorded music.'To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,' Swift wrote. 'To my fans, you know how important this has been to me - so much so that I meticulously re-recorded and released 4 of my albums, calling them Taylor's Version.' Swift began re-recording her albums after her former label Big Machine Records sold her original recordings to Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings in 2019. She released her first re-recorded album 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' in 2021, followed by the release of 'Red (Taylor's Version),' 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version),' and '1989 (Taylor's Version).'Along with ownership of all of her original music, the artist now also owns her music videos, concert films, album art and photography, and unreleased songs, according to Swift's it is unclear the amount Swift paid, Billboard reports that sources told them Shamrock sold the music for a similar price to what they paid for it which was $360 million. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Taylor Swift acquires the rights to all of her music
Taylor Swift has announced that she has acquired the rights to all of her music. The 35-year-old also said she has purchased the rights to all of her concert films, music videos, album art and photography, as well as unreleased songs, in an announcement on her website on Friday. Advertisement She also confirmed she will release Taylor's Version re-recordings of her self-titled and Reputation albums. In the announcement, the singer said: 'I'm trying to gather my thoughts into something coherent, but right now my mind is just a slideshow. A flashback sequence of all the times I daydreamed about, wished for, and pined away for a chance to get to tell you this news. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) 'All the times I was this close, reaching out for it, only for it to fall through. I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away. But that's all in the past now. 'I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out that this is really happening. I really get to say these words, all of the music I've ever made now belongs to me. Advertisement 'And all my music videos, all the concert films, the album art and photography, the unreleased songs, the memories, the magic, the madness, every single era, my entire life's work. 'To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it.' Swift also thanked her fans for their 'passionate support' which she said is 'why I was able to buy back my music'. The singer added: 'I can't thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but have never my owned until now.' Advertisement Swift said the process of gaining ownership of her work was 'honest, fair, and respectful' and said she was 'endlessly thankful' to private equity firm Shamrock Capital, which offered her the deal. In a post on LinkedIn, Shamrock Capital said: 'We are thrilled with this outcome and are so happy for Taylor.' The value of the deal has not been disclosed. The singer announced plans to re-record all her songs in 2019 following a dispute with retired talent manager Scooter Braun after he acquired the recordings of her first six studio albums when he bought her former label. Advertisement Though the masters changed hands again after a deal with Shamrock Capital, Swift continued with a bid to regain ownership of the music by creating new versions of the songs. She has been re-recording of all of her albums, re-releasing them as 'Taylor's Version'. To date Swift has released new versions of her previous albums Fearless (2008), Red (2012), Speak Now (2010) and 1989 (2014), with Reputation and her self-titled debut yet to be re-released as Taylor's Versions. Taylor Swift also confirmed plans for Reputation (Taylor's Version) and Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version). Photo: Doug Peters/PA In the announcement Swift spoke about plans to release Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version), originally released in 2006, and Reputation (Taylor's Version), which was originally released in 2017. Advertisement She added: 'I know, I know. What about (Reputation (Taylor's Version))? Full transparency, I haven't even re-recorded a quarter of it. The Reputation album was so specific to that time in my life, and I kept hitting a stopping point when I tried to remake it. 'All that defiance, that longing to be understood while feeling purposely misunderstood, that desperate hope, that shame-born snarl and mischief. To be perfectly honest, it's the one album in those first six that I thought couldn't be improved upon by redoing it. Not the music, or photos, or videos. 'So I kept putting it off, there will be a time (if you're into the idea) for the unreleased vault tracks from that album to hatch. 'I've already completely re-recorded my entire debut album, and I really love how it sounds now. 'Those two albums can still have their moments to re-emerge when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about. 'But if it happens, it won't be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now.' Braun gained ownership of some of Swift's back catalogue in 2019 when his holding company, Ithaca Holdings, acquired her former label, Big Machine Label Group. Swift signed with Big Machine, founded by former Universal executive Scott Borchetta, in 2005 and moved to Universal Music Group in November 2018 in a deal ensuring she maintained the rights to her work. Swift thanked her fans for their 'passionate support' after the deal was concluded. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA When Braun acquired her masters, Swift said she was 'sad' and 'grossed out' and accused the 43-year-old of being behind 'incessant, manipulative bullying'. Braun sold the recordings to Shamrock Capital in 2020 and reports in the US suggested the deal was worth more than $300 million (about €265 million). Swift said before negotiations could start, Braun's team wanted her to sign an 'ironclad NDA stating I would never say another word' about him 'unless it was positive'. She said at the time: 'So I would have to sign a document that would silence me forever before I could even have a chance to bid on my own work. Entertainment Taylor Swift crowned global recording artist of th... Read More 'My legal team said that this is absolutely not normal, and they've never seen an NDA like this presented unless it was to silence an assault accuser by paying them off.' It was at this stage she confirmed she had begun the process of re-recording her old music, in a bid to gain control, saying 'it has already proven to be both exciting and creatively fulfilling'. A master recording is the original recording of a song and whoever owns it earns revenue through avenues including streaming and use in TV, film and adverts.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Taylor Swift buys rights to all her music in end to record label feud
Taylor Swift has announced she has bought the rights to all of her music, ending a years-long and bitter feud over ownership. The global pop sensation said she has purchased the rights to all of her concert films, music videos, album art and photography, as well as unreleased songs, in an announcement on her website on Friday. Swift, 35, also confirmed she will release Taylor's Version re-recordings of her self-titled and Reputation albums. 'My greatest dream come true' In the announcement, the singer said: 'I'm trying to gather my thoughts into something coherent, but right now my mind is just a slideshow. A flashback sequence of all the times I daydreamed about, wished for, and pined away for a chance to get to tell you this news. 'All the times I was this close, reaching out for it, only for it to fall through. I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away. But that's all in the past now. 'I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out that this is really happening. I really get to say these words, all of the music I've ever made now belongs to me. 'And all my music videos, all the concert films, the album art and photography, the unreleased songs, the memories, the magic, the madness, every single era, my entire life's work. 'To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it.' Swift also thanked her fans for their 'passionate support', which she said is 'why I was able to buy back my music'. The singer added: 'I can't thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but have never owned until now.' Swift said the process of gaining ownership of her work was 'honest, fair, and respectful' and said she was 'endlessly thankful' to private equity firm Shamrock Capital, which offered her the deal. In a post on LinkedIn, Shamrock Capital said: 'We are thrilled with this outcome and are so happy for Taylor.' The value of the deal has not been disclosed. 'It will be a celebration' The singer announced plans to re-record all her songs in 2019 following a dispute with retired talent manager Scooter Braun after he acquired the recordings of her first six studio albums when he bought her former label. Though the masters changed hands again after a deal with Shamrock Capital, Swift continued with a bid to regain ownership of the music by creating new versions of the songs. She has been re-recording all of her albums, re-releasing them as 'Taylor's Version'. To date, Swift has released new versions of her previous albums Fearless (2008), Red (2012), Speak Now (2010) and 1989 (2014), with Reputation and her self-titled debut yet to be re-released as Taylor's Versions. In the announcement, Swift spoke about plans to release Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version), originally released in 2006, and Reputation (Taylor's Version), which was originally released in 2017. She added: 'I know, I know. What about (Reputation (Taylor's Version)? Full transparency, I haven't even re-recorded a quarter of it. The Reputation album was so specific to that time in my life, and I kept hitting a stopping point when I tried to remake it. 'All that defiance, that longing to be understood while feeling purposely misunderstood, that desperate hope, that shame-born snarl and mischief. To be perfectly honest, it's the one album in those first six that I thought couldn't be improved upon by redoing it. Not the music, or photos, or videos. 'So I kept putting it off, there will be a time (if you're into the idea) for the unreleased vault tracks from that album to hatch. 'I've already completely re-recorded my entire debut album, and I really love how it sounds now. 'Those two albums can still have their moments to re-emerge when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about. 'But if it happens, it won't be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now.' Braun gained ownership of some of Swift's back catalogue in 2019 when his holding company, Ithaca Holdings, acquired her former label, Big Machine Label Group. Swift signed with Big Machine, founded by former Universal executive Scott Borchetta, in 2005 and moved to Universal Music Group in November 2018 in a deal ensuring she maintained the rights to her work. When Braun acquired her masters, Swift said she was 'sad' and 'grossed out' and accused the 43-year-old of being behind 'incessant, manipulative bullying'. Braun sold the recordings to Shamrock Capital in 2020, and reports in the United States suggested the deal was worth more than $300 million (about £222 million). Swift said before negotiations could start, Braun's team wanted her to sign an 'ironclad NDA stating I would never say another word' about him 'unless it was positive'. At the time, she said: 'So I would have to sign a document that would silence me forever before I could even have a chance to bid on my own work. 'My legal team said that this is absolutely not normal, and they've never seen an NDA like this presented unless it was to silence an assault accuser by paying them off.' She confirmed she had begun the process of re-recording her old music, in a bid to gain control, saying 'it has already proven to be both exciting and creatively fulfilling'. A master recording is the original recording of a song, and whoever owns it earns revenue through avenues including streaming and use in TV, film and adverts.
