Taylor Swift’s reclaiming of her music masters has reignited conversations within the music business in regards to the many artists who’ve needed to battle for the rights to their very own music.
Over time, many musicians have confronted challenges to reclaim their masters, with various artists, together with JoJo and Paul McCartney, entering into high-profile disputes with document labels, companies and traders, all within the identify of reclaiming—and in some circumstances, liberating—their artwork.
READ MORE: How A lot Did Taylor Swift Pay to Personal Her Masters?
Although Swift, a billionaire and arguably essentially the most well-known pop star on the planet, now owns her work, there are nonetheless many artists trapped in unfavorable recording contracts or publishing limbo.
Under, check out 4 different well-known musicians who battled to regain management of their music through the years.
Prince Felt Like a ‘Slave’ to His Recording Contract
Prince famously engaged in a authorized battle with Warner Bros. Data over the rights to his music masters. In the course of the course of the dispute, Prince went so far as to vary his identify to an emblem in protest and even wrote “slave” on a royalty examine he acquired.
The late pop icon finally gained management of his masters in 2014, simply two years earlier than his dying.
Paul McCartney Battled to Get The Beatles’ Music Again From Michael Jackson
After Michael Jackson bought the publishing rights to nearly all of The Beatles’ catalogue for $47 million in 1985, member Paul McCartney spent a long time making an attempt to regain management of the British band’s music.
In 2017, the rock and pop icon got here to an settlement with Sony which allowed McCartney to reclaim a few of the rights to his music with The Beatles.
JoJo Was Trapped in File Label Limbo
“Too Little, Too Late” singer JoJo was unable to launch music for years attributable to a contract dispute together with her former label, Blackground Data, which beforehand owned her early masters.
Because of the dispute, JoJo re-recorded her first two albums launched below the label in an try to regain management over her music.
Kanye West All the time Wished to Personal His Masters
Kanye West has all the time been outspoken about his want to personal his music masters.
In 2020, West publicly posted his contract with Common Music Group to social media. In his put up he demanded possession of his recordings. West reportedly later negotiated a deal to achieve extra management of his masters.
From flop singles to promising debuts that rapidly fizzled out, uncover these celebrities’ failed music careers.
Gallery Credit score: Taylor Alexis Heady
