These Artists Battled for Their Music Masters

Taylor Swift‘s reclaiming of her music masters has reignited conversations within the music trade in regards to the many artists who’ve needed to battle for the rights to their very own music.

Through the years, many musicians have confronted challenges to reclaim their masters, with quite a lot of artists, together with JoJo and Paul McCartney, entering into high-profile disputes with document labels, companies and buyers, all within the title of reclaiming—and in some circumstances, releasing—their artwork.

READ MORE: How A lot Did Taylor Swift Pay to Personal Her Masters?

Although Swift, a billionaire and arguably essentially the most well-known pop star on the planet, now owns her work, there are nonetheless many artists trapped in unfavorable recording contracts or publishing limbo.

Beneath, check out 4 different well-known musicians who battled to regain management of their music through the years.

Prince Felt Like a ‘Slave’ to His Recording Contract

Prince famously engaged in a authorized battle with Warner Bros. Information over the rights to his music masters. Throughout the course of the dispute, Prince went so far as to alter his title to an emblem in protest and even wrote “slave” on a royalty examine he obtained.

The late pop icon finally gained management of his masters in 2014, simply two years earlier than his dying.

Paul McCartney Battled to Get The Beatles’ Music Again From Michael Jackson

After Michael Jackson bought the publishing rights to the vast majority of The Beatles’ catalogue for $47 million in 1985, member Paul McCartney spent a long time making an attempt to regain management of the British band’s music.

In 2017, the rock and pop icon got here to an settlement with Sony which allowed McCartney to reclaim a number of the rights to his music with The Beatles.

JoJo Was Trapped in Report Label Limbo

“Too Little, Too Late” singer JoJo was unable to launch music for years as a consequence of a contract dispute along with her former label, Blackground Information, which beforehand owned her early masters.

Because of the dispute, JoJo re-recorded her first two albums launched beneath the label in an try to regain management over her music.

Kanye West At all times Needed to Personal His Masters

Kanye West has at all times been outspoken about his want to personal his music masters.

In 2020, West publicly posted his contract with Common Music Group to social media. In his publish he demanded possession of his recordings. West reportedly later negotiated a deal to realize extra management of his masters.