My Stolen Lullabies: Understanding the Impact of the Taylor’s Version Project

Business deals are not usually glamourous affairs. What we usually see of the showbusiness world are its superstars, the hits, the incredible performances. We think about the catchy number ones, the stadium tours, and the drama of celebrity life. Rarely is it that the technicalities of a business deal make it into the public consciousness, let alone become a subject worthy of interest, or debate among fans. A business deal announced on the 30th June 2019 changed all of that, and brought the Swiftie community tumbling headfirst into a world usually reserved for boardrooms and legalese. This deal, the ensuing case, and resulting project was remarkable, and would set in motion a chain of events that would change the music industry forever. You may not have heard of the deal, but I am sure that as readers of this book, you have heard of its dramatic outcome: the re-recordings of Taylor Swift’s first six albums, otherwise known to us as ‘the Taylor’s Version’ project…

In this chapter, we’ll explore the project and its impact in depth. We’ll start by understanding what the project is, and why Taylor embarked on such a mammoth endeavour to begin with. Then, we’ll explore research from psychology, social science and marketing to help us understand the project’s success, and its impact on all of us.