TAYLOR SWIFT TRADEMARK STRATEGY: A MODEL FOR ARTIST IP PROTECTION
Taylor Swift has filed over 300 trademark applications in the US alone through her company, TAS Rights Management, LLC. Internationally, WIPO’s Global Brand Database shows 438 listings across at least 16 jurisdictions at the time of writing. These trademarks span everything from her name and signature phrases to song titles, tour names, and even the names of her three cats. But this isn’t just about owning catchy words. It’s a strategy that protects her identity, reinforces her brand, and allows her to control how that brand appears in merchandise, digital spaces, and live experiences.
Each brand is a tool that’s part of a global strategy. Whether it’s a line from a hit song or a beloved fan reference, these brands ensure that everything related to Taylor is Taylor. Their approach reflects a deep understanding that every word, image, and lyric has artistic and commercial value in today’s entertainment world.
List of Taylor Swift trademarks: What has Taylor Swift trademarked?
His stage name
Taylor Swift’s trademarks encompass a wide range of creative and commercial elements. At the core is her stage name, “Taylor Swift,” registered as a trademark worldwide, allowing her to claim that name as hers with full legal protection, both on stage and in stores, online, and everywhere else her brand appears.
The names of her albums, including The Life of a Showgirl
She has trademarked several of her album titles, including Reputation, Lover, Evermore, Midnights, 1989, and Fearless (Taylor’s Version). More recently, she has added The Life of a Showgirl and its acronym TLOAS to the list, with trademark applications spanning everything from musical recordings to the full range of derivative products. These trademarks help protect the image, spirit, and story behind each album.
The album announcement was itself a narrative strategy. It wasn’t done with a typical press release, but rather through a mint-green briefcase that appeared on the New Heights podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. It was a promotional campaign as strategic and theatrical as the album itself.
Phrases from his lyrics
Some of his most iconic lyrics and phrases have also been trademarked, such as “Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you,” “This sick beat,” “Nice to meet you, where have you been?” and “The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now.” They are now much more than lyrics; they are part of his identity and his business.
The names of their tours
Tour names such as “The Eras Tour,” “1989 World Tour,” and “Fearless Tour” are also protected. This gives you complete control over how these experiences are presented and sold.
Her followers: the Swifties
She has attempted to trademark the name of her fan club, Swifties. While some of these applications have encountered obstacles in certain jurisdictions, this demonstrates how serious she is about protecting her connection with her fans.
Promotional items
As the brand has grown, Taylor has also ventured into new areas such as cosmetics, beverage products, and mobile apps. One example is Taymoji, a digital sticker app based on her personality and style. These measures help her brand transcend the music world, and the commercial impact is considerable: after the 66 performances of The Eras Tour, sales of Taylor Swift promotional material reached $440.8 million, with an average spend per fan of $40, according to theTime magazine.
The names of their cats
Even their cats are part of the brand. The name “Meredith, Olivia & Benjamin Swift” has been registered as a trademark for official products, so their pets have become fan favorites with legal backing.
Together, the albums, lyrics, cats, quotes, and apps are part of a broader strategy. Every part of her public image is treated as intellectual property worthy of protection. Each brand reflects a deliberate choice to protect what is most important to her image. Because each product and message is carefully curated, the experience remains unmistakably Taylor Swift.
Of course, maintaining all these trademarks requires resources. Some applications have been dismissed if unused, and others, like Swifties, have not been accepted everywhere. Laws vary from country to country, so your legal team must be aware of deadlines, documentation, and unauthorized use. It’s not a glamorous task, but it’s essential to ensure your name, style, and history remain under your control.
Evermore’s lawsuit against Taylor Swift
A comprehensive strategy can still face external challenges. In 2021, following the release of her album Evermore, Taylor Swift was embroiled in a trademark controversy.
Evermore Park, a fantasy-themed attraction in Utah, claimed that her album title was too similar to its own and accused her of creating confusion among the public. Swift’s legal team quickly responded with a countersuit, citing the unlicensed use of her music in the park’s performances.
Ultimately, both sides withdrew their respective lawsuits and opted for a peaceful resolution rather than protracted litigation.
This case demonstrated that even a brand as carefully crafted as Swift’s can face legal challenges, but the measured, swift, and firm response of her team demonstrated that trademark disputes can be resolved effectively.
Reappropriation with “Taylor’s Version”
Trademarks provide Swift with something even more valuable than protection: leverage. When she began re-recording her earlier albums, each reissue was accompanied by new trademark applications to distinguish the new versions from the originals, which her former record label previously controlled. By registering titles like Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version), and Taylor Swift “Taylor’s Version” as trademarks, she establishes a legal and emotional boundary around her own work.
This strategy represents a revolutionary approach to artist rights. It allows artists to reclaim their narrative, their music, and their marketplace. Fans know exactly which version they support, and its legal framework ensures that retailers, platforms, and advertisers know it too. The use of trademark law goes beyond a commercial strategy and becomes a tool for public empowerment that sends a message to the industry and all aspiring artists: control over one’s name and work is not just an aspiration, but can be achieved through strategic legal planning.
Taylor Swift recovers her originals
In May 2025, Taylor Swift officially purchased the rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Capital, regaining full ownership of the music that launched her career. The deal includes album tracks, music videos, and even previously unreleased material. Swift announced the news and expressed her gratitude to her fans for their support throughout her career.
This concludes a years-long process that began in 2019, when Scooter Braun acquired her master recordings when he purchased Big Machine Records. After they were sold to Shamrock, Swift began her re-recording campaign with the “Taylor’s Version” editions to regain creative and commercial control.
However, with this latest milestone, Swift has indicated that future reissues, such as Reputation (Taylor’s Version), could be released as commemorative projects rather than out of necessity, reflecting her newfound autonomy.
Taylor’s impact on the branding strategy of musical artists
Her success not only underscores the importance of artists’ rights but has also reignited the debate over intellectual property in the music industry. Swift’s influence in this area goes beyond mere inspiration. The way artists approach ownership, branding, and legacy has radically changed, with musicians like Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and Rihanna managing their brands as holistic, multidimensional assets.
The shift affects the entire industry: executives, record labels, and legal teams now prioritize intellectual property and treat music trademarks as the foundation for long-term success, not as an afterthought.
Global protection of Taylor Swift’s trademarks
Taylor Swift’s brand is global, as is her brand image. To expedite the process of obtaining rights in multiple countries, she uses the WIPO Madrid System . This international trademark protection framework allows her legal team to expand a trademark registered in the United States to key markets such as Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, and Japan.
The brands have thus expanded to include album titles such as Lover, Evermore, and Midnights, as well as fan-driven and reissue-related titles such as The Eras Tour and Red (Taylor’s Version).
Its brands cover a wide range of products and services, including clothing, music recordings, printed materials, digital content, and even household goods. This is a smart and cost-effective approach that ensures consistent global brand protection, especially with regard to album releases and international touring.
The value of strategic brands
Taylor Swift’s brand strategy illustrates how legal foresight and brand vision can combine to create something far more important than commercial protection. From her earliest lyrics to her most recent business ventures, each brand is a footnote in a carefully orchestrated strategy that secures her legacy, amplifies her message, and maintains her connection with millions of fans around the world.
What sets Swift apart are her brands and the purpose behind them. She creates trademarks with intention, anchoring each era, lyric, and reinvention in a framework that allows her to evolve without losing control. For fans, this means that every product, platform, and experience bearing her name is authentic, authorized, and grounded in her voice. With her work, she demonstrates to other artists that creativity and strategy can coexist and that protecting one’s identity isn’t optional, but essential.
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