Re-recording (music)

A re-recording is a recording produced following a new performance of a work of music. This is most commonly, but not exclusively, by a popular artist or group. It differs from a reissue, which involves a second or subsequent release of a previously recorded piece of music.

Re-recordings are often produced decades after the original recordings were released, usually under contract terms more favorable to the artists. This is especially common among acts who originally agreed to contracts that would be considered unfair and exploitative today. When re-recordings are issued under newer contracts, artists can collect far higher royalties for use in films, commercials, and movie trailers. Other artists re-record their work for artistic reasons. Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra released a solo best-of album with new versions of previous hits like "Mr. Blue Sky", the original of which Lynne described as "[not] quite how I meant it". Some artists, such as Def Leppard and Taylor Swift, re-recorded their music because of disputes with their labels; Swift's re-recordings have become massive successes, both critically and commercially.

Re-recordings commonly appear in online music stores and streaming services, such as the iTunes Store and Spotify.

Recording contracts are a way in which the ownership of sound recordings can be legally recognised. Recording contracts are often between an artist and a record label and stipulate terms relating to royalties, performance rights and recording costs. The motivation behind the re-recording of music is often associated with the legal ownership of the music and how that ownership can bring financial gains to an artist, especially if initial contract terms are financially unfavourable. Different types of recording contracts exist, and a newer model that focuses on paying the artist a prolonged salary for limited ownership of their music is becoming favourable with high profile artists such as Madonna. This new model is often seen as fairer to artists, especially financially. The internet has also given artists more power in negotiating fairer recording contracts, or even self-publishing music directly onto streaming platforms. An element of risk associated with record labels and up-and-coming artists is offered as an explanation for why record contracts can often be seen as unfavourable but necessary to avoid financial losses over time. Recording contracts are a fundamental part of the music industry and recording music, especially for commercial purposes. They serve as a way for artists to negotiate ownership of their music and for profits to be made and leveraged.

Even though recording contracts are between an artist and the record label, they often involve the ownership of rights to specific recordings of music, as is the case with Taylor Swift. Swift signed with her first record label, Big Machine Records, in 2005, when she was not even considered an adult, and released six albums under that contract. Her record contract expired in 2018 and she signed with a new record label, UMG. Big Machine Records was sold one year later and Swift’s master recordings for her first six albums followed the sale, leading Swift to re-record those albums. A similar record label contractual dispute is evident with Prince. He was unable to own his master recordings, so he went so far as to change his name to a symbol and tried to release music under that in hopes that he would own the master recordings for those albums if his name was not Prince. This did not work but in 2014 the record label gave Prince back his master recordings after he held a public campaign shaming them. Prince was also one of the first artists to utilise the internet as a way to release music without the involvement of record labels. In using the internet as a way of controlling the release of his music, Prince acted as inspiration for other artists to think about how they want to release their music, particularly in the face of contractual battles, even extending to re-recording of music.

Music copyright refers to protecting a recorded piece of music so that it cannot be reproduced or used without permission of the artist or copyright holder. Unlike copyright for films, music copyright focuses on the author of the piece of music and the sound within the music, not moving images. This means that another individual or machine can reproduce a piece of music without causing copyright infringement, as long as the original recording is not used. This is particularly relevant to re-recording of music as it allows artists to record the same song later as a newer version or a special edition and own that independently.

As the internet has evolved, copyright in music has been put at risk and forced to adapt. The digital landscape has changed the way in which music is shared and for what price, leading to music piracy threatening the legitimacy and control that copyright holders have over their music. Piracy has enabled the sharing of music with the click of a button for no monetary value. This has forced copyright laws to adapt to circumstances such as piracy to protect an artist’s intellectual property. Music copyright can provide an artist with freedom to license and re-record music but is constantly open to vulnerabilities from evolving technology.

Stereo or hi-fi recordings gained immense popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with mono recordings gradually being completely phased out by record companies by the end of the 1960s. With recordings having been made and issued in single-channel mono up to that point, some artists re-recorded some of their most famous songs so they would be available for purchase in the new stereo format. Sometimes these artists re-recorded their material for the same label, as with June Christy, whose 1955 album Something Cool was entirely re-recorded in stereo for Capitol in 1960, or Ray Conniff, who in 1969 re-recorded a stereo version of "S'Wonderful", a song he had recorded for Columbia in mono in 1956. As well in the late 1950s, a number of dance bands (including the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and others) issued stereo re-recordings of their best-known songs for a range of different labels.