Guest column: How TaylorSwift could fight back against ScooterBraun
Taylor Swift has a formidable reputation for subduing those who dare cross her: ex-boyfriends, pop competition and even industry giants like Apple. So when the 29-year-old star posted a lengthy Tumblr message June 30 after manager Scooter Braun finalizedto acquire record label Big Machine — and the master recordings to her first six albums — the industry reflexively recoiled into a defensive posture in anticipation of the fallout.
Regardless of whatever personal satisfaction Braun may feel from "owning" Swift, any rational investor looking for a return on a $300 million investment is more inclined to vigorously pursue win-win exploitations of Swift's catalog. However, suppose Braun was the villain that Swift accuses him of being: What could a nemesis in his position do to sabotage Swift's interests? In actuality, not much, as Swift still possesses some control.
Swift also could limit the use of her music to instances where the recording is original, such as in the moviewhere the animated character sang an original rendition of "Shake It Off." This use, known as a compulsory license, benefits Swift, not Braun; but compulsory licenses are not as lucrative as sync licenses. Also, she should be able to rerecord her works, as customary contracts limit rerecording restrictions to five years.
This may be the beginning of some entrenchment against Braun because Swift is known for taking stands on principle and against her wallet. The artist did, after all, remove her works from Spotify for three years to protest the streamer's freemium model on the rationale that "valuable things should be paid for." Swift has also single-handedly effectuated meaningful change.
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