The Swiftie Effect: How Taylor Swift's Re-Recording Project Has Impacted Record Labels

Artists outwitting major labels have always gained popular traction in the eyes of the media and public. Everyone loves a good old underdog story. Global citizens and listeners rejoice at artists' reclamation of their own creative products. However, the contractual effect of a 'power-move' on future generations of artists is yet to be fully understood. Notably, in recent years, Taylor Swift's bold decision to re-record her initial albums has reshaped her musical journey and sent out ripples through the industry by showcasing how artists can capitalize on the hidden fine print of contractual understandings between artists and their music labels.

For context, copyright in music can be held on two fronts. Firstly, over the composition of the song itself (usually held by the artist themselves) and secondly, over the sound recording/ master recording of the performance of the work. Artists tend to keep composition rights to themselves while the master recording