5 Times Artists Battled Record Labels
Taylor Swift is re-recording most of her older music after her label and masters were purchased by mega-manager Scooter Braun. Here's how four other recording artists have fought back against their labels. 🎤
Fighting for their music rights
Taylor Swift said she is re-recording her old albums to reclaim control of her music from her record label. She hinted at her frustrations on Good Morning America. Here are 4 other musicians have gotten creative to keep their music from labels, agents, music executives. Warner Brothers was home to Prince’s most successful records — but the pop icon’s desire for complete artistic control put him at odds with the label. In 1993, Prince changed his name to a mystical glyph, hoping his record contract would
Not be enforceable if he was no longer known as Prince. He even appeared with the word slave written on his cheek. But Prince was forced to hold to his contract with Warner Brothers. In 2014 the label finally relinquished control of his masters. Frank Ocean was under contract with Def Jam to release one more album after his smash debut, 2012’s Channel Orange. In a deal to purchase his masters and buy out his contract, Ocean released the experimental visual album Endless. Days later, he dropped his true second studio album, Blonde.
Ocean described his relationship with Def Jam as a “7-year chess game.” Pop icon Janet Jackson decided to go for double or nothing. After signing a massive $40 million multi-album deal with Virgin Records in 1991, Jackson renegotiated to an $80 million deal in 1996. The tradeoff? Jackson would regain control of her masters in exchange for four albums — a contract she finally fulfilled in 2006.
In order to regain control of his masters, Jay-Z needed to sign a new contract with Def Jam in 2004 — this time as the company’s president and CEO. After leaving that post in 2007 to launch Roc Nation, he lost control of his masters for 7 years — until they reverted back to him in 2014 under the terms of his original contract.
Brut.
23 comments
Hn M.
12/10/2020 13:02Prince O(+>
Basanti H.
09/01/2019 03:02Nice video
Jam P.
08/31/2019 23:17😂
Brimo A.
08/31/2019 22:24Wawoooo
Akbar B.
08/31/2019 19:45SAVE INDIAN SAVE KASHMIRI
Riege F.
08/31/2019 03:22what do you mean by masters? anyone please?
Laloona K.
08/30/2019 18:41must give up the title of being largest secular democracy .Indian politician and prime minister Modi is self centered and fascist,he must learns to become a human first.
Farhan I.
08/30/2019 13:34India is a terrorist country
Cristina E.
08/30/2019 02:14Tylor swift.... 💜🧡💛💚💙💗💓❤💕💖💓
Chïc K.
08/30/2019 00:20Top 5 biggest artist 😚
Alex N.
08/29/2019 08:35https://youtu.be/A51QYHYVTNM
Athar A.
08/29/2019 08:0103414837438
Aris D.
08/29/2019 03:16I came here for Taylor, and good thing I saw all these powerful musical act who have undergone such complications in their career. However you forgot to mention Paul McCartney when MJ bought The Beatles' masters.
Soth S.
08/28/2019 23:23I love taylor
Rojee K.
08/28/2019 14:14Yessss Proud to be swiftie
Ikram H.
08/27/2019 23:47Eï Vã
Zuan I.
08/27/2019 00:44You missed out Jojo!!!
Nathan N.
08/27/2019 00:07Who is Frank Ocean??
Athar A.
08/26/2019 19:498 ster
Brut
08/26/2019 13:44From moving to Nashville at 14 to break into the biz to selling out stadiums as a pop megastar, Taylor Swift has gone from country songstress to a political force. This is her story. 🦋5