Just when it seemed like Taylor Swift had finally closed the book on one of the biggest battles of her career, a brand-new music industry deal has fans asking a very familiar question: could another chapter in the messy music masters saga be unfolding?!
Before anyone panics, this isn’t a repeat of the Scooter Braun controversy. Instead, the latest conversation centers on producers Max Martin and Shellback, whose songwriting collective Wolf Cousins has entered into a strategic partnership with investment firm HarbourView Equity Partners. Basically, the duo sold their catalog, reportedly got paid BIG TIME for it, and now Taylor’s team has to figure out what it means for her tracks.
But while the transaction reportedly includes rights connected to some major hit songs — Swift’s and many others — legal experts say the situation is actually much more nuanced than it may first appear! Buckle up, y’all…
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According entertainment attorney Bradfield Biggers, who spoke to Page Six about the issue on Thursday, the agreement doesn’t mean HarbourView suddenly owns Taylor’s master recordings across the board. However, he noted there could be important implications for certain songs depending on exactly what rights were acquired. As Biggers explained:
“HarbourView would not control Swift’s masters generally, but for particular songs in the catalog, it could have approval rights or meaningful leverage that affect how Swift can use those recordings in certain contexts.”
Whoa…
That’s an important distinction. While Swift’s ownership and control over her sound recordings reportedly remain intact, there may still be situations involving specific songs where additional approvals are required.
Biggers further explained:
“But depending on exactly what HarbourView acquired and how the relevant publishing and administration agreements are structured, it could give HarbourView a say in certain uses of songs written with Max Martin, Shellback, or other Wolf Cousins writers.”
He continued:
“That matters when a particular use requires clearance of both the master recording and the underlying composition, such as a film or TV placement, an ad campaign, certain social-media uses, or other synchronization opportunities.”
Among the Taylor songs reportedly connected to the Wolf Cousins deal are Style from 1989 and …Ready for It? from Reputation, although, to be clear, reports indicate that not EVERY Swift song associated with Wolf Cousins is part of the acquisition.
Even so, Biggers emphasized that this doesn’t suddenly make HarbourView part of Taylor’s inner circle, saying:
“I would not call HarbourView a partner of the Swift camp. But by acquiring interests in songs that are closely tied to Swift’s catalog and cultural legacy, HarbourView is now economically connected to an important part of her ecosystem.”
In other words, as Taylor’s career continues to grow, the value of those songwriting interests could grow along with it.
Biggers added:
“As Swift continues to grow her brand and reinforce her place as a legendary pop artist, HarbourView stands to benefit from the enduring value of those songs and Swift’s evolution from a generational star into a lasting figure in the pop-music canon.”
The reported acquisition, which Variety first reported earlier this week was valued in the low nine figures, wasn’t publicly priced by HarbourView, as the company declined to disclose the financial terms.
However, HarbourView CEO Sherrese Clarke praised the partnership in a statement, saying:
“At HarbourView, we invest in culturally relevant intellectual property and the visionary creators behind it. Max Martin and Shellback continue to hold their place as hitmakers in contemporary music, and through Wolf Cousins they have built an extraordinary creative ecosystem spanning generations and genres. We are proud to partner with them and help steward the legacy of this remarkable catalog.”
The duo’s broader catalog includes hits recorded by Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, Tove Lo, DNCE, and many, many more — highlighting just how incredibly valuable the songwriting collective has become over the years!
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For Swift fans, though, it’s impossible to hear about another rights-related headline without remembering the long and emotional fight over her original masters.
After Big Machine Records was sold to Scooter Braun in 2019, Swift publicly criticized the deal, saying she wasn’t given a fair chance to purchase her recordings herself. Braun later sold those masters to Shamrock Capital, prompting Swift to launch her wildly successful Taylor’s Version re-recording project. It would later be revealed that Braun did want to sell her masters back to her, but the two could not agree on the deal.
Then came what many fans viewed as the perfect ending: in May of last year, Swift announced she had officially purchased back her entire masters catalog.
So, does this latest development undo that victory? Based on what legal experts are saying, the answer appears to be no. But it does serve as another reminder that the business side of the music industry can be incredibly complicated, especially when multiple copyrights, publishing interests, and approval rights are involved.
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[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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