Taylor Swift releases her version of hit song 'Love Story' from revised 'Fearless' album
Taylor Swift
"I`ve now finished re-recording all of `Fearless,` which will be coming out soon. My version of `Fearless` will have 26 songs on it because I`ve decided to add songs from the vault, which are songs that almost made the original `Fearless` album, but I`ve now gone back and recorded those so that everyone will be able to hear not only songs that made the album but the songs that almost made it. The full picture!"
The original 'Fearless,' released in 2008, was the second studio album by Swift, who has risen from a country music singer who often opened for others to a US pop star in her own right.
"It has 26 songs, including 6 never before released from the vault. Love Story (Taylor`s Version) will be out tonight," @taylorswift13 said on Twitter.
After acquiring the rights to Taylor Swift's first six albums in 2019, Scooter Braun sold them to a private equity firm called Shamrock Capital, landing a deal that of nearly $300 million. In response, the pop star decided to re-record her back catalog, allowing her to release new versions of every album she put out on her old label, Big Machine Records.
So technically,while Shamrock Capital owns the master rights to Swift's first six albums, Swift owns the publishing rights asshe wrote her own songs, she retains the rights to the lyrics, melodies, and compositions. Thus, she doesn't have to ask permission from or pay anyone to use them how she sees fit.
Moreover, the re-recording restrictionin her contract with Big Machine—a standard part of any record deal—has reportedly expired. When Swift releases new versions of her old songs, she'll own both their master rights and their publishing rights, earning any and everythey bring in and securing unilateral control over how they're used.
In an attempt to reclaim her own work, 'Fearless' looks like the apt album to start that journey.