35-Year Reversion Right
If you signed your masters away to a label, US copyright law gives you the right to take them back 35 years later — no matter what the contract says. For artists who signed deals in the '80s and '90s, that window is open right now, and most of them don't know it.
17 U.S.C. § 203 — Termination of Transfers and Licenses Granted by the Author
(a) In the case of any work other than a work made for hire, the exclusive or nonexclusive grant of a transfer or license of copyright … executed by the author on or after January 1, 1978 … is subject to termination.
(3) Termination of the grant may be effected at any time during a period of five years beginning at the end of thirty-five years from the date of execution of the grant.
(4) The notice shall be served not less than two or more than ten years before that date.
Who it covers
Grants signed on or after 1 January 1978 — and not works made for hire. Whether a recording was 'for hire' is the fight, which is why the contract's hire language matters more than the money.
The window
Five years, opening at year 35. Miss it and the grant runs for the full copyright term.
The catch
Notice must be served two to ten years ahead. The clock you actually have to watch starts at year 25, not 35.
Prime Evergreen catalog tier — the 8-12x multiple alongside Jay-Z and Usher — and the most prominent example of a creator reclaiming catalog through re-recording (Taylor's Version), making the case for why artists need to understand ownership before they need to fight for it.
Watch this explained at
Taylor Swift · 2019
Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun — The Public Fight Over Her Masters
Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Records in 2019, taking ownership of Taylor Swift's first six albums without her knowledge. She responded publicly, called it her 'worst case scenario,' and launched Taylor's Version — re-recording her entire early catalog to functionally depreciate the originals.
Ongoing — Taylor's Version releases have succeeded commercially, making the originals less valuable
Bruce Springsteen · 2021
Bruce Springsteen — $550M Sony Catalog Sale Before Reversion Window
Springsteen sold his recorded and publishing catalog to Sony in 2021 for a reported $550M — a deal structured, in part, to move before his reversion window opened and while catalog multiples were at historic highs.
Completed — catalog sold
35-Year Reversion Right
What It Is
Section 203 of the US Copyright Act grants authors (and their heirs) the right to terminate copyright transfers and licenses made after January 1, 1978, during a five-year window beginning 35 years after the date of transfer.
In practice, this means:
- An artist who signed a major label deal in 1985 could begin the termination process 35 years later, in 2020
- The termination must be filed with the Copyright Office with advance notice (2–10 years before the effective date)
- The right cannot be contracted away — it applies regardless of what the original deal said
If the artist terminates successfully, the copyright reverts to them. They now own the asset they originally created and subsequently transferred.
Why It Matters
Most artists who signed deals in the 1980s and 1990s are entering (or have entered) their reversion windows now. This is a structural shift in the music industry: IP that was permanently owned by labels is reverting to artists, creating a new supply of creator-owned catalog.
This has two major implications:
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For artists: Reversion creates an opportunity to either hold the catalog and capture future royalties directly, or bring newly-reclaimed IP to the market as a fully-owned asset — likely at a better NPS multiple than they would have received pre-reversion, when the label held the rights.
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For catalog funds: The incoming wave of reversion-eligible catalogs is one reason institutional buyers have accelerated acquisition activity — they want to secure deals with artists before the reversion makes the catalog more expensive or more competitive.
The Taylor's Version Signal
Taylor Swift's re-recording of her early catalog is the most visible reversion-adjacent strategy in popular culture. While not a reversion filing (she couldn't reclaim the Ithaca Holdings masters), her re-recordings functionally depreciate the original masters by creating a preferred alternative — demonstrating that the cultural value of the original can be transferred even without the legal transfer.
Capitol Records, Inc. v. Naxos of America, Inc.
This case directly interprets 17 USC 203 — the statute that lets artists reclaim their masters after 35 years.
NY · 35-Year Copyright Reversion
Gener-Villar v. Adcom Group, Inc.
This case directly interprets 17 USC 203 — the statute that lets artists reclaim their masters after 35 years.
D.P.R. · 35-Year Copyright Reversion
Case law surfaces rulings relevant to this framework. Relevance index reflects how directly each opinion applies — not legal advice.
S 1367 (119th Congress): NO FAKES Act of 2025
What this means
Last action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (2025-04-09) · AI likeness protection for artists and creators
Sponsors — bipartisan (1)
Christopher Coons (D)
HR 2794 (119th Congress): NO FAKES Act of 2025
What this means
Last action: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (2025-04-09) · AI likeness protection — House companion
Sponsors — bipartisan (1)
Maria Salazar (R)