Master Ownership Disputes

Master ownership disputes trap artists in long-term battles, as labels routinely retain ownership of recordings even after contracts end, exemplified by Taylor Swift’s fight for her first six albums, which gives labels 100% control over licensing revenue. This often forces artists to buy back their work for millions—like Swift’s $300 million re-recording project—and compared to #1's 360 deals, this practice is more damaging than #5's payola because it strips creative and financial agency for decades, with over 60% of artists in a 2022 survey reporting they lost more than $500,000 in potential earnings due to lost licensing control. The average master-ownership dispute lasts 7 years, during which artists cannot use their own music in films or ads, locking away income streams that could otherwise double their annual revenue.