Record labels hope to stop "Taylor's Version"-style re-recordings from ever occurring.
even as Taylor Swift has been amassing billions of streams over the past few years with updated "Taylor's Version" re-recordings of her original hits
creating cultural moments out of old material and simultaneously depressing the value of those original recordings that were sold away from her.
According to renowned music lawyers, the major labels—Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment
and Warner Music Group—have reportedly revised their contracts for new hires
with some requiring that artists wait an extraordinary 10, 15, or even 30 years before re-recording releases after leaving their record companies.
Josh Karp, an experienced attorney who has reviewed the new limits in UMG contracts, claims that "the first time I saw it, I tried to get rid of it completely."
For many years, conventional major-label recording contracts required artists to hold off on releasing re-recorded versions of their songs until the later of two periods ended:
Label contracts that extend that time to ten, fifteen, or even more years are now being given to attorneys, and these attorneys are pushing back.
According to Karp, "it becomes one of a multitude of items you're fighting.
Up until Swift declared in June 2019 that she would rerecord her first six albums, the idea of enticing fans with fresh takes on classic songs was a niche in the music industry.