The Industry Impact

Exploitation to Empowerment

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Swift is not the first to dispute master ownership. Prince's conflict with Warner Bros in the 1990s is one example of master rights struggles. Feeling stifled by a contract that limited his creative freedom and ownership, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and wrote 'slave' on his face in protest. He eventually regained some control by releasing music independently.

Olivia Rodrigo, a more recent phenomenon in the streaming era, secured deals with Geffen Records that allowed her to retain greater control over two of her master recordings. Her success reflects an industry gradually moving towards more artiste-friendly contracts, particularly as streaming platforms have altered revenue models.