Current Events: Taylor Swift's Re-Records and Intellectual Property

Among her many accomplishments, Taylor Swift has been named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023. The globally acclaimed singer-songwriter has made headlines throughout the last year with her Eras Tour, which has grossed an estimated $1 billion in it’s first leg. Swift has also released more of her re-recorded albums, a strategic move to maintain control over her own catalog of music. The decision to re-record her albums highlights the bad blood between the music industry and creators. At the heart of this issue is intellectual property.

Swift’s decision to re-record her albums is a clever move in the ever evolving and complex area of intellectual property. Her story is a common one in the industry: as a young teenager, Swift signed a record deal, giving certain ownership and rights over her music to the record label with significant financial implications. While the record label kept parts of her intellectual property (the master tracks), Swift kept ownership of her old songbook and lyrics. Due to the split in intellectual property, Swift has had the ability to re-record her previous albums and make money on her own “life’s work.”

To understand the significance of Swift’s endeavor, it’s important to delve into intellectual property rights. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, intellectual property is defined as “creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.” Intellectual property is protected by law through patents, copyrights, and trademarks so people can earn money and recognition for their inventions and work.

This week’s Current Events resources examine how the content creators, like Taylor Swift, navigate the legal world of intellectual property. The resources shared provide information and context around how the law is designed to protect property outside of real property, including trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

Essential Questions, Vocabulary & Extend the Resources:

Why is Taylor Swift choosing to re-record her albums, and what does this decision mean in terms of artistic ownership and intellectual property?
How does the concept of intellectual property extend beyond the music industry, and what might this mean for creators in other artistic fields?
In what ways does the concept of intellectual property intersect with themes of individual rights and creative expression?
How do contractual agreements impact an artist’s ownership of their art?

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