3 Count: Taylor’s Version

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1: Taylor Swift Buys Back Her Master Recordings

First off today, Mark Savage at the BBC reports that Taylor Swift has acquired the master recordings to her earlier works, putting her in complete control of all her albums.

The story began in June 2019 when music manager Scooter Braun purchased the record label Big Machine, which owned Swift’s earlier works. Swift opposed the sale, accusing Braun of complicity in the bullying she experienced from Kanye West. Since she owned the compositions to her albums, she had begun re-recording many of them, creating a “Taylor’s Version” of the album.

Swift had completed four of the albums with another, Reputation, expected shortly. Swift says it is still coming, but may be delayed. It is not known how much Swift paid to acquire the back catalog; however, the BBC reports that rumors place the amount between $600 million and $1 billion.

2: Peers Vote to Defy Government Over Copyright Threat From AI

Next up today, Eleni Courea at The Guardian reports that the UK government has suffered a fifth defeat in the House of Lords over its divisive plan to modify copyright in a way that favors AI companies.

In the UK, the government is seeking to make it easier for AI companies to use copyrighted works for training purposes. However, they’ve repeatedly run into issues trying to get the measure passed in the House of Lords. There, the ministers have repeatedly called for additional transparency from AI companies, requiring them to disclose what content was used.

However, the House of Commons has repeatedly rebuffed those changes, causing the bill to be bounced back and forth between the two houses. If the two sides cannot reach an agreement, the bill will fail, forcing the House of Commons to start over.

3: Indiana Bible College Sues Choral Composer Over Copyright Infringement Claims

Finally today, Cheryl V. Jackson at The Indianapolis Star reports that Indiana Bible College has filed a lawsuit against a music composer who has accused the school of infringing her work.

The story began in April when the college’s song John 1 became a viral hit. However, composer Rosephanye Powell and her publisher, Fred Bock Music Co., alleged that the song infringed upon their 1996 song, The Word Was God. This resulted in a takedown notice being filed with YouTube and the main version of John 1 being removed.

Indiana Bible College, along with the school’s composer, is now suing both Powell and Fred Bock Music, alleging defamation. They claim that the allegations have harmed the school’s reputation and that their song is not an infringement. The school is seeking damages and an apology. However, Powell said she does not plan to back away from the claims.

The 3 Count Logo was created by Justin Goff and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.