Numbers

~$2.2B

highest-grossing tour in music history; 152 shows across 5 continents 2023-24

[Pollstar 2024 year-end + Acquired episode] · as of 2024-12

~$1M+

vs ~$30-50K for typical arena tour; friendship-bracelet culture turned merch into participation

[Industry estimates + Acquired episode] · as of 2024

~$261M

highest-grossing concert film ever; AMC distribution deal bypassed traditional studio cuts

[Box office data 2023-24] · as of 2023-12

$300M+

Braun bought Big Machine 2019; included Taylor's first 6 albums of masters. The trigger event for re-recordings.

[Acquired episode + Billboard 2019] · as of 2019-06

• David:When a piece of music is created, there are two copyrights that come into existence. The sound recording copyright — the master recording — which traditionally is owned by the record label. Historically, a label takes ownership of these masters in exchange for assuming the financial risk of betting on, distributing, promoting the artist's work.
  [Acquired Taylor Swift, ch. Two copyrights]
  EpisodeCite
• Ben:The second one is the musical composition copyright or the publishing rights — the written lyrics and the melody, traditionally held by the songwriters themselves. The musical composition copyrights, it's like something you could put down on sheet music. This is the idea of the song.
  [Acquired Taylor Swift, ch. Two copyrights]
  EpisodeCite

11+

every studio album since debut; among the most-streamed artists in history

[Spotify disclosures] · as of 2024

4

most-ever for any artist (Fearless 2010, 1989 2016, Folklore 2021, Midnights 2024)

[Recording Academy historical data] · as of 2024-02

$1.6B+

first artist to reach billionaire status primarily from music (not endorsements/cosmetics)

[Forbes 2024] · as of 2024-10