Artists Reclaim Their Music After Decades-Long Battles

As of October 2nd, 2025, a growing number of artists have been successful in their long-standing battles to reclaim ownership of their music. Leading the charge is Taylor Swift, who announced in May 2025 that she had officially bought back her music catalog several years after Scooter Braun acquired her masters in a $300 million sale. This complicated battle led the "Shake It Off" singer to re-record her first six albums.

Swift is not alone in this fight. Other artists have referenced her after their own victories, including Anita Baker, who gained control of her master recordings in 2021, and John Fogerty, who bought control of Creedence Clearwater Revival's catalog in 2023. Fogerty even wanted to name his 2025 album "Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years" after Swift, though the songs will instead have a "John's Version" parenthesis.

The struggle for music ownership is not new, with artists like Prince and The Beatles having faced decades-long battles. Singers JoJo, Frank Ocean, and Kesha have also sought to break free from their record labels in recent years. As more artists reclaim their legacies, the music industry continues to evolve, empowering creators to have greater control over their work.