Re: BOB DYLAN HAS SOLD THE RIGHTS TO ALL HIS MUSIC

songbird · ‎03-21-2010

Taylor Swift did it also. Then several months later regretted it. She wasn't allowed to rerecord her music or perform it. The agreement was short term, as she was able to regain control of her music. She apparently learned her lesson and will never do it again. During the embargo on her old music, she complained bitterly in the media. Embarrassing the new owner. I think that was one reason she was able to get music back.

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

@songbird

Taylor had a clause in her contract with Scooter Braun that she could not re-record her first 6 albums that Scooter bought, for one year.

That year is up and she's in the studio now re-recording those early albums.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

@Witchy Woman wrote:
@Pearlee

I heard that this morning and wondered what it will all mean. Will he have any control over how it is used?

If he kept the "Masters" yes he would have control. However, we do not know if that was part of his contract when he sold his catalog.

Bob Dylan is an "old head" & should know to keep his "Masters." If he has any heirs, the "Masters" will go to them to "keep the $$$$ flowing."

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

I've loved the music of Bob Dylan from the days when he first arrived on the scene. He and I are contemporaries, and so whatever zeitgeist he interpreted, I tended to feel in a similar fashion. And yes, I have even loved his growl-like and rough sounds in his late-stage career. I love Bob Dylan's music! His honky-tonk sound is right up my alley, too.

When I read this post, the first thing that popped into my mind was that maybe he is now too exhausted from age to continue his "Never Ending Tour." I've had the joy of seeing him in concert three times, and I'd attend again if he, time and circumstance made it possible.

Regarding any other aspects of this decision, I have no opinion. His music compositions are his babies and he is free to do with them what he chooses.

ETA: I overlooked the obvious. With the COVID-19 pandemic, who knows when large numbers of people will want to gather again for live performances. Dylan probably calculated that in the foreseeable future, there will no longer be the magnitude of crowd he seeks to play to. I know that Frankie Valli cancelled the tour he and his Four Seasons had for the summer of 2020 for the U.K. and Belgium (I think he included Belgium for some strange reason. They are now rescheduled for most of the same venues in the U.K. this summer, but we'll see. Frankie is no kid either.).

Highlands72 · ‎06-04-2016

@songbird wrote:
Taylor Swift did it also. Then several months later regretted it. She wasn't allowed to rerecord her music or perform it. The agreement was short term, as she was able to regain control of her music. She apparently learned her lesson and will never do it again. During the embargo on her old music, she complained bitterly in the media. Embarrassing the new owner. I think that was one reason she was able to get music back.

--

Who knows? She may do it again when she is 79.

Highlands72 · ‎06-04-2016

His heirs probably would have sold the rights, anyway.

It happens all the time, not music-rights specific.

SuhseK · ‎08-19-2018

A man of enormous talent.

My Aunt who is 70, is a big fan, particularly, of his earlier work, and she got me hooked!

He has every right to do, as he chooses, with his music. Certainly, he legacy, will outlive him, and far beyond.

Thank you for sharing, a rare gift, Bob!

SusieQ_2 · ‎03-27-2012

I don't know much about Bob Dylan other than his name really is Robert aka Bob, lol. Well, maybe I know just a bit more than that but not enough to comment on his decision to sell the rights to his music.

An artist that I do know a lot about is Taylor Swift and just about everything in this thread about her music, her contracts, and who she was signed with is incorrect starting with the first mention that says she signed a contract with Scooter Braun. She didn't.

Moving on we have "Taylor did it also...regretted it several months later...and could not perform her own music."

The truth is Taylor did not sign her music away and come to regret it several months later. What she did, at the age of 16, was to sign a 12 year contract with Scott Borchetta who at the time was with Dreamworks. He told Taylor he was starting his own label, Big Machine Records which he did. That contract is what gave the label ownership of her first six albums..

Last year Borchetta sold the Big Machine Label to Ithaca Holdings owned by Scooter Braun for upwards of 300 million dollars. Recently Braun sold the catalog of Swift's music to Shamrock Holdings. Taylor has never regained the ownership of those first six albums.

Only after the acquisition did Shamrock reach out to Taylor saying they hoped she would work with them. Taylor was hopeful but once she was shown their contract she realized that Ithaca Holdings and Scooter Braun would still be benefiting from her work so she declined.

She has now started re-recording her first five albums which she is legally allowed to do under the terms of the 2006 contract with Big Machine. She will more than likely include Reputation when the time comes that qualifies it for re-recording.

I'm not posting this to throw shade at the people who commented nor do I think they had any nefarious reasons for what they posted, lol. They probably thought what they posted was true. I think sometimes we hear part of a story, think we got it right, and repeat it. I just wanted to set the record straight...no pun intened.