Media Studies Component 2B Music Video
Tuesday 3rd June: Taylor Swift - Context
LO: IWBAT explore the context of Swift’s music video
STIC analyse this effectively
DO NOW: What’s the last music video you remember watching? Can you think of any music videos you really like?
Homework Due: Mock question re-write. Please ensure you either give this to me on paper or type this up by 8pm today.
Section B: Music - Music Video and Online Media
Section B requires a detailed study of music through focusing on two contemporary music videos and the online, social and participatory media surrounding the artists.
Learners study one music video from the past to enable learners to develop their understanding of media language and of how representations reflect, and are influenced by, relevant contexts.
Contemporary music videos:
Two music videos from the following options will be studied:
Either Lizzo, Good as Hell (2019)
AND
Either Taylor Swift, The Man (2020)
or Stormzy, Superheroes (2020)
or Justin Bieber, Intentions (2020)
Music videos from the 1980s and early 1990s:
One of the following music videos will be studied:
Either Duran Duran, Rio (1982)
or TLC, Waterfalls (1995)
Online media:
Learners must study the corresponding websites for both of the chosen contemporary music videos and artists above.
Either https://www.lizzomusic.com/
or http://taylorswift.com/
Either http://www.stormzy.com/
Or https://www.justinbiebermusic.com/
Social and participatory media
The role of social and participatory media in relation to an artist's website will be studied.
Reference should be made at least to Facebook and X (formally Twitter) although other social and participatory media (such as Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube) may be considered.
These can be accessed through each of the artist's websites.
Areas to be studied:
In-depth study covering all areas of the theoretical framework:
Media language
Representation
Media industries
Audiences
Media contexts
What We'll Study:
Section B: Music (music videos and online media) (30 marks)
Question 3 (20 marks) will assess the ability to make judgements and draw conclusions through an analysis of the set media products in terms of either media language or representation.
Reference to relevant contexts may be required.
Question 4 (10 marks) will assess knowledge and understanding of media industries, audiences or media contexts.
Narrative, Concept, Performance
Narrative:
Has clear characterisation.
The visuals anchor the lyrics.
Proppian character types.
Concept:
Abstract ideas - montage editing.
Lack relevance to the lyrics.
Shows artist’s creative vision.
Performance:
Artist is seen lip syncing, performing the lyrics to the song, and performing using instruments.
No clear narrative.
Artist is centralised.
Genre hybridity may apply e.g. action. On stage/on tour footage can be used
Taylor Swift - Background
What genre of music she specialises in.
Name of her songs and albums.
Star persona - what is she like as an artist?
Her successes within the music industry.
Product Context: The Man (2020)
Swift is one of the world’s best selling artists, having sold over 200 million records globally.
She is the most streamed female artist on spotify and the only artist to have five albums with over 1 million copies sold in the US.
The Man was the 4th single to be released from her 2019 Lover album.
The music video has had 107 million views (as of March 2025)
The video won a VMA at the 2020 MTV Music Awards for Best Direction, Swift’s 11th VMA but her first for directing. She was also the first solo female director to win in this category.
Social Context of Feminism
The social context of feminism has influenced the video as Swift is assuming the role of a man in order to express her feminist views. She mocks the patriarchy throughout to make a serious point about gender discrimination.
Swift is well known for using her videos to criticise people from her personal life, and this video appears to reference Jake Gyllenhaal, who Swift dated in 2010 and is similar in appearance to the Man.
In the subway scene, The Bo$$ Scotch poster with the tagline of ‘Capitalise on the feeling’ and the word ‘Greedy’ graffitied next to the poster may refer to Scott Borchetta, who founded Swift’s former record label.
Borchetta owned the master copies of the artist’s songs which were recorded before she switched to Universal Music Group in 2018. Swift accused him of bullying her and for barring her from playing her old music on TV.
There is a “No Scooters” sign on the subway - a reference to Scooter Braun - he also owned the master copies of Swift’s music.
She now owns all of her own masters and has been re-recording/rereleasing her old albums, meaning she has full ownership, publishing rights, and gets a full share of the royalties.
Buying Back her Music
Last Friday, Taylor Swift announced on social media that she had bought back the rights to her first 6 albums.
Q1. How does the way she announced this link to the Uses & Grats theory?
Cameo Appearances
Various members of Swift’s family and friends make cameo appearances in the video, adding to the personal tone.
Her father, Scott Swift, appears in the tennis scene as the line umpire, and the singer and TikTok star Loren Gray appears as the court attendant in the same scene.
Swift’s Netflix Documentary is referenced in a poster which shows an alternative version of the film starring her male alter ego – Mr Americana (Tyler Swift).
Miss Americana
Q1. What kind of persona is Swift trying to portray here?
Q2. How does this link to the Uses & Grats theory?
Q3. How does this documentary oppose the Male Gaze theory?
Friday 5th June: Music Videos: The Man
LO: IWBAT anaylse Taylor Swift’s video
STIC comment on media language.
DO NOW:
Q1. Who owned the master copies of Swift’s albums?
Q2. What are the 3 types of music video?
The Man - Narrative
The Man is mainly narrative based – how do we know?
The video does not include a performance of the song by the music artist. As she is playing a character role, she does not use direct mode of address, and the video is mainly narrative based with a short behind-the-scenes section at the end which reveals the making of The Man.
TASK: So, what is the narrative of the music video? Sum up in 2-3 sentences.
Notes
Split your page for notes…
Narrative
Colour Pallette
Intertextual References
Narrative in The Man
The video constructs a linear narrative, by following the Man’s typical daily activities in various locations including the subway, the office and the park.
These everyday settings represent the privileges that men encounter in their daily lives that “Tyler Swift” can access, but Taylor Swift can’t.
The Man is also shown in more glamorous locations enjoying leisure time on a yacht and a tennis court, reflecting a more luxurious lifestyle associated with wealth and success.
The character of the Man could be described as the false hero, according to Propp’s character roles, as Taylor Swift is ‘unmasked’ as the real hero at the end of the video.
This is highlighted by the credits ‘written by’ and ‘directed by’, encouraging the audience to view her as a powerful and successful woman.
Exploring Lyrics
Looking at the lyrics of the song, what do you think Swift wanted to explore? What message did she want to give?
Jordan Belfort aka. The Wolf of Wall Street
Jordan Belfort aka. The Wolf of Wall Street – what are the similarities between the 2 representations?
The colour palette, including the grey and blue hues, the muted lighting tiles in the ceiling and office mise-en-scene with a range of workers in the background, the centralisation of the character, the suit clothing codes and colour, the dark brown hair are all very similar to the marketing for the film based on a biography.
Intertextual Links
Intertextual links to Leonardo di Caprio “I’ll be just like Leo in San Tropez”
The costumes and colour palette in the video are important in constructing the character roles in the video, especially that of the Man.
The business suit connotes power and status
The gold Versace shirt he wears on the yacht suggests a glamorous, wealthy lifestyle.
The women in the yacht scene all wear yellow bikinis, which objectifies them by taking away any sense of individuality.
Swift’s previous albums
Swift’s previous albums:
RED,
Reputation,
1989,
Songs ‘Karma’& (foreshadowing its release on the Midnights album),
‘Speak Now’ are all graffitied on the subway wall when the man appears to be urinating against it.
Also, the sign with the line through the scooter references her fight for the rights over her music between Swift and producer Scooter Braun.
John McEnroe
John McEnroe – American tennis player known for his violent outbursts on court
The Man smashing his tennis racket references John McEnroe, the tennis player notorious for his angry outbursts on the tennis court in the 1980s, especially a match in 1984 where he lost his temper with an umpire.
By intertextually referencing McEnroe (who still continues to be successful as a tennis commentator) perhaps Swift argues that men face little consequences for poor behaviour and temper tantrums
Analysing Media Language in The Man:
Re-watch the music video and identify examples of…
Clothing codes & props
Colour palette
Gesture codes incl. facial expressions
Technical codes (camera, editing etc)
Analysing Media Language in The Man:
When analysing, think about these questions:
Shot types and why they have been used.
Look at costume, colour palette, setting, makeup.
Codes: gesture, verbal vs. non- verbal.
Camerawork
Reaction shots
Propp’s character / Todorov’s narrative.
Analysing Media Language in The Man:
When analysing, think about these questions:
Shot types and why they have been used.
Look at costume, colour palette, setting, makeup.
Codes: gesture, verbal vs. non- verbal.
Camerawork
Reaction shots
Propp’s character / Todorov’s narrative.
Analysing Media Language in The Man:
Clothing codes & props
The business suit connotes power and status, and the gold Versace shirt he wears on the yacht suggests a glamorous, wealthy lifestyle.
The man is the centre of attention and in control of the situation, suggested in his gesture codes as he smiles and holds the champagne bottle.
The scene in the office where the Man tosses a crumpled piece of paper and three women try to catch it represents women being subservient, and audiences may draw a parallel with women at a wedding catching a bouquet, desperate to be ‘chosen’.
Colour palette
The women in the yacht scene all wear yellow bikinis, which objectifies them by taking away any sense of individuality.
Gesture codes incl. facial expressions
In the scene on the subway, where the Man is ‘manspreading’ opening his legs wide, and flicking cigarette ash onto the woman next to him, both actions reflect a disregard for others.
Reaction shots from minor characters are used to show Swift’s attitude towards certain male behaviours, such as, the disapproving facial expression of the male crew member on the yacht and the eye roll from Loren Gray, playing the tennis umpire, encourage the audience to share their feelings.
Technical codes
The camera tracks the Man throughout and he is usually positioned in the centre of the frame, surrounded by many supporting characters, signifying his power and assumed importance.
Proxemics in the long shot on the yacht, the Man is centred and positioned higher than the women surrounding him and looking up at him, representing his dominance and their subservience.
Tuesday 10th June Music Videos: The Man Representations
LO: IWBAT anaylse Taylor Swift’s video
STIC comment on representations.
DO NOW: Q1. List 2 intertextual references seen within the video.
Homework: Analyse the Taylor Swift website and answer the questions on the Google Doc. DUE Tuesday 17th June
Key Vocabulary
Misogyny – (noun) dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.
Male privilege – (noun) is the system of advantages or rights that are available to men on the basis of their sex.
Manspreading – (verb) when men sit on public transport with their legs spread, taking up more space than necessary.
Hypermasculinity – (noun) is the exaggeration of male stereotypical behavior, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and human male sexuality. As such, hypermasculinity champions callous sexual attitudes toward women, the belief that violence is manly, the experience of danger as exciting.
Taylor Swift – Behind the Scenes – Characterisation
TASK: Can you identify any examples of these terms in the clip?
Misogyny
Male privilege
Manspreading
Hypermasculinity
Gender Representations in Music Videos
Music videos often feature stereotypical representations of gender.
Some genres have been criticised for constructing sexually objectified images of women (hiphop and rap for example).
Creating a ‘star persona’ is important for sales, and this can involve lots of close up shots on the artist’s face and body.
Music videos are typically aimed at men (known for being more visual) and the construction of both men and women is for this target audience (hyper masculine men and desirable women as objects).
Music videos often go against what would be typically associated with their actual target audience (usually teens of the artist’s gender).
Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory suggests that women are passive objects to be looked at by a male character or spectator. Can we apply this to Taylor Swift’s ‘The Man’?
Double-Standards
What is meant by the term ‘double-standards’?
Discuss with the person next to you.
A rule or principle which is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups.
Re-watch The Man and identify how it represents gender:
Masculinity
Tennis scene - aggressive reactions links to hypermasculinity
Suggests men can be careless with women and treat them as objects - wedding scene, yacht scene, bedroom scene
Train scene - antisocial behaviour acceptable, don’t need to be conscious of other people’s space (manspreading)
Father scene - suggests the minor things men do will be praised by society
Yacht scene - all skinny and wearing bikinis - must be conventionally attractive and confirm to identical beauty. Metaphorically below men - women lying down whilst he’s stood up
Wedding scene - either a prize to be won by men or a gold digger
No emotion or individuality - no voice
Train scene - shouldn’t stand up for yourself or take up space
Father scene - should praise men for small things.
Femininity
The Man and how it represents ethnicity
White men often in positions of superiority / predominately “leaders” in society. Taylor Swift is trying to challenge this ideology.
“Alpha” white male - socially related to excessively masculine men.
White privilege - this idea that there is a “built-in” advantage due to the colour of someone’s skin (unconscious bias). ‘The Man’ - stereotypical, egotistical white male depicted.
People in the video are there to support his success.
Friday 13th June Stormzy: Context & Media Language
LO: IWBAT explore the context of Stromzy’s music video
STIC analyse this effectively.
DO NOW What do you already know about Stormzy?
the artist
songs
genre
Product Context: Superheroes (2019)
Released on 13 December 2019 as part of Stormzy’s second album, Heavy is the Head.
The video for Superheroes premiered on 9 September 2020 when it was shown in school classrooms in London, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester at the start of the term when schools reopened after having been closed since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The video was directed by British filmmaker Taz Tron Delix and produced by Argentinian animation studio 2veinte.
Stormzy dedicated the video to Chadwick Boseman following the actor’s death in August 2020. The video ends with the text: ‘RIP Chadwick Boseman 1976–2020, Forever a Superhero in our hearts’.
Stormzy Controversy
In very recent news (as of March 2025), Stormzy has just been accused of “selling out” on his political opinions in exchange for a partnership with McDonald’s.
Stormzy’s tweets and Instagram posts supporting Palestine all disappeared before the collaboration went live. He denies taking the post down was due to pressure from McDonald’s.
1 - what does “selling out”, or being a “sellout” mean?
2 - Based on the music video for Superheroes and Stormzy’s history of being very politically outspoken, why do you think his fans are particularly angry, and accusing him of “selling out”? Would the reaction be the same if he had never done/said anything political before?
3 - Do you think that celebrities have a responsibility to be vocal about their political beliefs? Or do you think fans are expecting too much of their favourite public figures?
Answer the questions above
Superheroes narrative based
Superheroes is mainly narrative based – how do we know?
Subverting music video conventions, Superheroes does not include the artist performing the song. It is entirely narrative based, with Stormzy featuring as a character leading the young boy on a typical hero’s journey, showing him other characters who have found their gifts or superpowers.
The lyrics narrate the story throughout, and the visuals contain many cultural references to real people and events from 2020.
How does this link to Propp’s Theory of characters?
Propp’s Theory of Characters
Stormzy is shown in the role of the hero, who rescues the young boy when he falls when flying by himself.
The ‘young Black kings’ and ‘young Black queens’ could be seen as Proppian heroes, who receive help from Stormzy and other inspirational figures on their journey towards empowerment.
Intertextuality
The scene where Stormzy is flying with the boy could be interpreted as a reference to Buzz Lightyear and Woody in Pixar’s Toy Story.
The character in the classroom who works out the maths problems and appears to have telekinetic powers over the pens may remind audiences of the character of Neo in The Matrix.
Context
Context: Provide a piece of factual knowledge linking to each piece of context. Why has Stormzy included this link to context in his music video?
Rappers Dave and Little Simz
Young, black British rappers.
They are influential and write inspirational, political lyrics.
Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses novel
Stomzy appeared in the BBC adaptation of the novel.
The novel explores racism in an alternative version of society where black people hold all of the power.
Black Lives Matter (George Floyd)
Stormzy took part in the London protests in 2020.
To emphasise his political stance and encourage black people to stand up for their rights.
Covid-19 pandemic
Black communities believed that black lives mattered less during Covid.
To empower black people to stand up for themselves and spread awareness.
Marcus Rashford
Link to his FSM campaign in the UK.
Stormzy shows him as a hero for helping poor British children.
Political Activism (Voting/Glastonbury and Brit Awards Controversy) Stormzy used his gig in Glastonbury to criticise politicians. Part of this was to encourage young people to vote.
Tuesday 17th June Stormzy: Media Language
LO: IWBAT explore the media language used in Stromzy’s music video
STIC analyse this effectively.
DO NOW List any events that the music video made reference to.
Homework DUE: Taylor Swift Website Analysis SET: Stormzy Website Analysis (due for Tuesday 24th June)
References to Popular Culture
The video contains many references to popular culture chosen to represent Black culture in an empowering way.
Rappers Dave and Little Simz, and footballer Marcus Rashford.
Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses novel is also referenced in the video. Stormzy appeared in the BBC adaptation of Blackman’s novel which explores racism in an alternative version of society where Black people hold more power.
The scene that depicts the Black Lives Matter protests reflects the social and political climate of the summer of 2020, shortly after the death of George Floyd in the US. Stormzy took part in the London protests, and the scene with the placards also reflects the social context of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the protesters are shown wearing face masks.
The use of the Marcus Rashford shirt reflects social and political contexts as, at the time, Rashford had made a stand against the UK government on their decision to end the free school meals provided during the pandemic. Rashford successfully pressured the government into reversing their decision, so Stormzy wanted to represent him in the video as a hero and role model to young people.
Stormzy is well-known for his political activism, using social media and high profile performances, such as his headline slot at Glastonbury in 2019, to both support and criticise British politicians and encourage young people to vote.
Analysing Media Language in Superheros:
When analysing, think about these questions:
Shot types and why they have been used.
Look at costume, colour palette, setting, makeup.
Codes: gesture, verbal vs. non- verbal.
Camerawork
Reaction shots
Propp’s character / Todorov’s narrative.
Analysing Media Language in Superheros:
Re-watch the music video and identify examples of…
Clothing codes & props
Colour palette
Gesture codes incl. facial expressions
Technical codes (camera, editing etc)
Analysing Media Language in Superheros:
When analysing, think about these questions:
Shot types and why they have been used.
Look at costume, colour palette, setting, makeup.
Codes: gesture, verbal vs. non- verbal.
Camerawork
Reaction shots
Propp’s character / Todorov’s narrative.
Who is the target audience for this music video?
The primary audience for the video was school pupils in the UK, with the video being streamed to classrooms on 9 September 2020.
Before the video was aired, Stormzy sent a video message to schools welcoming pupils across the UK back to school and telling them they would be the first people anywhere to see the video.
He told them: “I think it’s important that you guys understand how powerful you are. Despite the colour of your skin, despite where you come from, despite your religion, despite whatever it is that you feel may be holding you back; you are a superhero. I wanted to make this video to inspire you guys, to let you know that the sky is the limit. To let you know that all those things inside of you, make you incredible.”
Target Audience for Superheros
The target audience for Superheroes, Black British males and females from Generation Alpha, is younger than Stormzy’s typical target demographic (male and female millennials/fans of the grime genre) due to the focus on younger characters and the animated nature of the video.
Older, Gen Z audiences reacted on social media to Stormzy’s use of lyrics from Keisha White’s Someday, which feature at the end of the Superheroes track.
Friday 20th June TLC: Context
LO: IWBAT understand the context of TLC’s video
STIC being to analyse this.
DO NOW Do you recognise the band TLC? What do you know about them?
Context of TLC’s ‘Waterfalls’ video
There are three main areas of context that you should know when analysing TLC’s ‘Waterfalls’ video.
Make notes on each video under the relevant subheading.
1990s girl groups
HIV
Set Product
TLC
TLC are a girl group from Atlanta, Georgia comprised of three members; T-Boz, Chilli and Lisa ‘left-eye’ Lopes.
They formed in 1990 and was very successful.
They scored nine top-ten hits on the Billboard hot 100 including four number one singles, ‘Creep’, ‘Waterfalls’, ‘No Scrubs’ and ‘Unpretty.’
The group also recorded four multi-platinum albums including CrazySexyCool (1994) which received a diamond certification from the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA).
TLC also became the first R and B group to receive Million certification from the RIAJ (Record Industry Association of Japan) for FanMail (1999).
WATERFALLS
The music video cost 1 million dollars to make and was an MTV staple for many months.
The video allowed TLC become the first black act to win the MTV Video Music Award for the Video of the Year.
The song and it’s accompanying video explores themes of un-safe sex, drug use and the effects of this.
KEY FACTS
TLC, having sold over 85 million records worldwide, are the best selling American girl group and second worldwide to the English group, Spice Girls.
VH1 ranked TLC as the greatest female group, placing them at number 12 on the list of 100 greatest women in music.
Lisa ‘Left-Eye’ Lopes died in 2002. The group decided to continue on as a duo rather than replace her.
Lopes died in a car crash whilst filming a documentary. The documentary was later shown on VH-1 named ‘The Last Days of Left Eye’ in 2007.
At the 17th Annual MOBO (Music of black origin) awards (2012), TLC were awarded with the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.
Have you been paying attention?
Where are TLC from?
Name two real issues that TLC include in their songs.
Where was the video for TLC’s Waterfalls filmed?
What are the names of the three members of TLC?
What technology did they use in the video for Waterfalls?
Media Language in Waterfalls
What kind of music video is Waterfalls: Narrative, Concept, Performance, a combination of the three?
Who are the different characters in the music video?
What messages does the music video seem to be sharing?
Discuss and then write your answers
Analysing Media Language in Waterfalls:
Re-watch the music video and identify examples of…
Clothing codes & props
Colour palette
Gesture codes incl. facial expressions
Technical codes (camera, editing etc)
Exam Style Practice
How typical are the narratives of the two music videos you have studied? [20]
In your response, you must:
explore the narratives of the two music videos you have studied
make links to relevant media contexts
make judgements and draw conclusions.
The Music Industry - Record Labels
What is a “Record Label?”
What do they do, and how do they work?
What does it mean when an artist gets “signed” to a Record Label?
Challenge: Think of your favourite artist - do you know what Record Label they are signed to? Do you know any prominent artists that are fully independent, and don’t have a deal with a record label?
Previous Questions for The Industry/Audience/Context
Explain how contexts influence music videos. Refer to Roar (Katy Perry, 2013) or Bad Blood (Taylor Swift, 2014) to support your response. [10]
How do music videos reflect the contexts in which they are made? Refer to Freedom (Pharrell Williams, 2015) or Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars, 2014) to support your points.
Explain how music websites reflect the social and cultural contexts in which they are produced. Refer to www.brunomars.com or www.pharrellwilliams.com to support your response.
How do music websites enable the music industry to make money? Refer to the official Katy Perry website or the official Taylor Swift website to support your points.
How do music websites promote artists to a global audience? Refer to the official Katy Perry website or the official Taylor Swift website to support your response.
Ownership and the Music Industry
Record labels make contracts with artists. They fund the costs of producing, distributing and circulating music to audiences.
A “single” song release from an album will usually be accompanied by a music video which becomes part of the marketing campaign.
Publicity is traditionally generated through articles, tv appearances by the artist and radio distribution. Artists and labels can also generate their own publicity through social media.
Record labels have dedicated social media depts to ensure they reach their audiences
Three major record labels – Sony, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group – are vertically integrated and each buys up other subsidiary companies
The major labels are able to invest large amounts of money in artists that are likely to be commercially successful (will make money)
These have high budgets and operate on a global scale – they can reach large audiences
There are many independent record labels, such as Big Machine, that are not linked to a major label (TS was with Big Machine) – these companies are successful, but the ‘big three’ still dominate the industry
Some independent artists are not signed to a label at all and use the internet to promote and distribute their work – this has made the industry more democratic.
How Streaming Sites Work
The Music Industry is huge and contributes billions to the British Economy.
However, a huge issue the Industry has faced is the increased popularity of streaming sites, downloadable music and YouTube.
Some choose to download music legally via sites like Spotify or Apple Music for instance whilst others do not= A loss of revenue for artists and record labels.
As a result their has been a downturn in physical sales (CD’s) although there is currently a trend of buying physical media.
If you have a subscription to a music streaming service, you do not own the music you are paying for.
Would you prefer to own the music created by your favourite artists and pay more, or pay less to stream it via a streaming platform?
Also funded by adverts. More traffic= More advertisers purchasing space. Audience is given access to a huge catalogue of music.
Record label (not the artist) receives a small fee (Royalty) every time a song is streamed (they will have a deal with each artist to negotiate what percentage they pay to the artist)
Types of Media Organisations
A review from Year 10 - Film Industry Conglomerates- A collection of companies which all conduct in varying businesses, owned by a single institution (like how Disney owns Pixar, Lucasfilm, ABC, Fox, Marvel Studios, and even more!)
Subsidiaries- When smaller companies are owned by a parent company - Pixar is a subsidiary of Disney
Synergy - When institutions are not owned by the same company but work together for beneficial reasons - remember this from Fortnite with its frequent product placement!
New terms:
Monopoly - When a single company dominates an industry, especially when it buys out its competition. Are there companies attempting to create a monopoly in the Film and Music Industries?
Swift and Big Machine Records
Why did Swift Leave Big Machine Records?
Think more broadly: What do you think are the advantages of Swift leaving a smaller, independent Country music label and signing a deal with Republic Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group (UMG - one of the “Big Three”)?
Swift's Record Deal
Swift's ownership of future master recordings is a departure from her deal at Big Machine.
Historically, when artists sign record deals, the label owns the master recordings.
That means when the previous albums recorded by Swift sell or are streamed, Big Machine will continue to make money off those sales.
Artists have increasingly pushed for deals in which they own their master recordings.
Progressive companies like Nashville's Thirty Tigers have offered deals in which artists own their master recordings.