What Are Master Rights?
Master rights are the ownership rights in a specific sound recording, as distinct from the underlying composition, which is covered by publishing rights. Whoever controls the master, typically a record label or independent artist, decides how that recording can be copied, distributed, streamed, sampled or licensed for use in media.
Master Rights in Practice
Every commercial track has two halves: the song and the recording of it. Master rights govern the recording, and whoever holds them controls how it is used, which is why they became front-page news when the masters of Taylor Swift’s first six albums were sold in 2019 without her involvement. Her response, re-recording those albums as Taylor’s Versions beginning with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in 2021, created new masters she owns, and in 2025 she bought back the originals outright. For advertisers the lesson is practical: using an existing recording requires a master use licence from the master owner on top of a sync licence from the publisher, whereas commissioning an original recording keeps the master under the brand’s control.
Famous Example
Taylor Swift re-recording her first six albums as Taylor’s Versions to regain control of her masters
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- Shepard Tone
- Skeuomorphic Sound
- Sonic
- Sonic Audit
- Sonic Brand Guidelines
- Sonic Branding
- Sonic DNA
- Sonic Identity
- Sonic Logo
- Sonic Palette
- Sonification
- Sound Branding
- Sound Design
- Sound Effect (SFX)
- Sound Symbolism
- Sound Trademark
- Sound-alike
- Soundscape
- Spatial Audio
- Startup Sound
- Stem
- Sting
- Sung Slogan
- Sync Licensing
- Synthetic Voice
A memorable jingle is one tool within a brand’s wider sonic branding.
