Universal Music Set Stricter Guidelines For Re-Recordings

[RAMROD 109,348]

Taylor Swift’s record label, Universal Music Group, has reportedly tightened restrictions on re-recordings.

Ms. Swift’s success with the recordings over the past year highlights why her label company,Universal Music Group UMG -1.50% NV, has been trying to protect its rights with other artists who later might want to rerecord their songs.

In its recent agreements, Universal has been effectively doubling the amount of time that the contracts restrict an artist from rerecording their work, according to music attorneys and executives. At a time when making—or remaking—and distributing music is easier and cheaper than ever, Universal, the world’s largest label company, is moving to protect its investments in artists’ work.

The report comes just a day after Swift delivered Red (Taylor’s Version), marking the second release in her ongoing reissue series. The Grammy-winning singer made the decision to re-record her first six albums after her failed attempts to purchase her masters from her ex-label Big Machine Records. Music executive Scooter Braun secured the rights to Swift’s masters after acquiring Big Machine in 2019. He ultimately sold them to Shamrock Holdings in late 2020.

Prior to Universal’s change, the industry’s standard rerecording restriction said an artist can’t rerecord until five years after the delivery of their last recording under the agreement, or two years from the end of the recording contract’s term, whichever is later. Universal’s new proposals increase those periods to seven and five years, respectively, and tack on another “seven year post period” to the end of the rerecording restriction during which the artist is barred from rerecording more than two songs.

Lawyers and executives say that prevents an artist from creating competitive recordings during a typical recording’s biggest monetization period, usually within 10 years of its initial release.

Some of the other terms Universal has added to its contracts include increases in royalty payments to artists and more transparency into how royalties are calculated, said the person with knowledge of the contracts. Often, Universal’s contract adjustments become industry standard because they are the biggest, lawyers and executives say.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-taylor-swift-rerecorded-her-red-album-universal-reworked-contracts-11636741201

https://www.complex.com/music/universal-reportedly-reworked-artist-contracts-while-taylor-swift-rerecorded-red

 

 

 

 

[Blastertoyo 22,728]

2 minutes ago, RAMROD said:

Universal’s new proposals increase those periods to seven and five years, respectively, and tack on another “seven year post period” to the end of the rerecording restriction during which the artist is barred from rerecording more than two songs.

Lawyers and executives say that prevents an artist from creating competitive recordings during a typical recording’s biggest monetization period, usually within 10 years of its initial release.

Does this mean ms tay has to wait even longer to release any future re-recordings 

[Noah 26,941]

Honestly, I think the Taylor Situation has just shown how important it is to own your recordings. I wouldnt doubt this now being one of the things new artists want in their contracts

[RAMROD 109,348]

5 minutes ago, Blastertoyo said:

Does this mean ms tay has to wait even longer to release any future re-recordings 

If the re-recordings were part of the contract, when she signs it after moving from Republic,  I can see she can do that regardless. This new policy would be effective to other artists under UMG until then.

[Blastertoyo 22,728]

2 minutes ago, RAMROD said:

If the re-recordings were part of the contract, when she signs it after moving from Republic,  I can see she can do that regardless. This new policy would be effective to other artists under UMG until then.

But the original record contract she signed with BMR has a re-recording clause too for sure 

so she potentially may have to wait 10 years per album 

[LaLa 19,644]

32 minutes ago, Blastertoyo said:

Does this mean ms tay has to wait even longer to release any future re-recordings 

No, she obviously signed a contract with them allowing her to do the re-records when she wants. New artists or artists re-signing with UMG will have these new guidelines. But remember, big artist can negotiate too and could reach different agreements potentially. 

[Blastertoyo 22,728]

2 minutes ago, LaLa said:

No, she obviously signed a contract with them allowing her to do the re-records when she wants. New artists or artists re-signing with UMG will have these new guidelines. But remember, big artist can negotiate too and could reach different agreements potentially. 

Read my other reply

[bionic 49,943]

38 minutes ago, Noah said:

Honestly, I think the Taylor Situation has just shown how important it is to own your recordings. I wouldnt doubt this now being one of the things new artists want in their contracts

A lot of people will still surrender masters in order to get a lucrative contract deal though. 

In my opinion a fair medium would be a fixed term after which masters return to the artist

[LaLa 19,644]

2 minutes ago, Blastertoyo said:

Read my other reply

But she's out of the waiting period with Big Machine, with the exception of reputation I believe which will be eligible in 2022 I think. UMG updating it's boilerplate guidelines doesn't change existing agreements

[littlepotter 75,084]

Fuck the music industry 

[flyaway 15,350]

With the world we are living it, I predict the end of the record labels very soon. They have no money, and depend on streams and ads. 

Many new artists are independent or with small labels, and have been able to work and poduce their new music without a giant standing on their back. 

[Hyundawn 110]

This just proves that every country's industry sucks. 

 

[Bling 31,370]

Makes sense tbh

[GAMS 1,845]

Girl needs to start using Distrokid 

[HausOfMark 4,274]

So are they blocking her from re-recording her other albums right now? Im confused