Taylor Swift's billion-dollar music empire has made her one of the most influential figures in the entertainment industry, but not all her business decisions have been met with approval.
A fresh wave of criticism emerged recently after several small business owners alleged that the singer's team had played a role in jeopardizing their livelihoods.
Highlights
- Small business owners accused Taylor Swift's team of affecting their livelihoods over alleged trademark violations.
- Past songwriting disputes involving Olivia Rodrigo and other female artists resurfaced amid the backlash.
- Robbie Williams earned praise for his response to musical similarities involving Olivia Rodrigo, drawing comparisons to Swift.
The controversy soon brought renewed scrutiny to Swift's past interactions with fellow female musicians, including accusations that she deliberately prevented their songs from gaining traction on global charts.
“I swear we just need one good documentary from someone even a little loved and well known, and it would shake her image so much,” a netizen observed.
Taylor Swift’s latest controversy has reignited concerns about her approach to brand protection
A TikTok user named Jocelyn posted a video on September 28 explaining why she disliked Taylor Swift, drawing thousands of comments from people who shared her sentiments.
Among them was a new mother who wrote, “She got my Etsy of TEN YEARS completely banned and removed in 2022. Like post-billionaire status.”
Another seller added, “I sold car decals that said you ‘(your name’s) version.’ I didn’t include her name or anything. Didn’t sell lyrics or anything trademarked, and she still got me kicked off the platform.”
“I’m not allowed to ever create another shop again,” the latter user added.
Notably, Swift's legal team, TAS Rights Management, has a history of attracting criticism for its approach to protecting the singer's intellectual property.
Back in 2015, reports emerged about cease-and-desist letters targeting Etsy creators who sold unauthorized merchandise featuring the singer's lyrics and branding.
Some of the disputed phrases were associated with her 1989 era.
Swift also holds trademarks connected to her name and branding, including the widely recognized “Taylor's Version” designation.
She adopted the phrase when re-recording her music to regain artistic and financial control after the master recordings of her first six albums were sold to a third party by her former record label.
It is important to note, however, that trademark protection does not automatically grant someone ownership of ordinary English words such as “version.”
Whether a particular product infringes on a trademark depends on several factors, including its presentation and whether consumers could be confused about its origin or association with the trademark holder.
The user accusing Swift of targeting their business did not clarify these aspects.
Nevertheless, the Etsy sellers' claims triggered an angry response from netizens.
Swift was branded a capitalist as critics condemned her alleged actions against independent businesses
One Reddit user compared Swift taking away the income of a “random seller on Etsy for no good reason,” despite her considerable fortune, to an “Elephant having beef with an ant.”
“She invented the word ‘version’? God, what a b**ch,” remarked a second.
“Honestly, this is disgusting,” noted a third, while a fourth called her “late-stage capitalism Barbie.”
Others revisited the singer's previous comments about merchandise and intellectual property.
“Remember when she said she didn’t expect friendship bracelets to blow up and that she should have capitalized on that,” one user wrote.
“Or she wanted to trademark the words ‘this sick beat,” another added.
Elsewhere, Swift has also faced criticism over her relationships with fellow female artists.
The Etsy controversy brought renewed attention to accusations that Swift had been overly competitive with younger female musicians
One of the most frequently discussed examples involves Olivia Rodrigo.
The 23-year-old had openly praised Swift's songwriting, but speculation about a falling-out emerged in 2021 after the singer and her collaborators received writing credits on Rodrigo's Deja Vu over similarities between its bridge and Cruel Summer.
Rodrigo later admitted to Rolling Stone that the situation had caught her off guard.
She was also asked whether she would personally seek songwriting credits from another musician under similar circumstances.
“I don’t think I would ever personally do that,” she said.
Swift was also once rumored to be feuding with Katy Perry, with reports suggesting that their disagreement began over backup dancers who had previously worked with Swift before joining Perry's tour.
Swift's Bad Blood is widely believed to reference their altercation, while Perry appeared to respond with her song Swish Swish.
The two eventually reconciled, with Perry making an appearance in Swift's 2019 You Need To Calm Down music video.
Billie Eilish is another name frequently brought up in discussions about Swift's relationships with fellow female artists.
The controversy surrounding the pair stems from Swift releasing additional editions of The Tortured Poets Department shortly before Eilish's 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft.
The two musicians subsequently competed for the top spot on the Billboard 200, with Swift retaining her No. 1 position while Eilish debuted at No. 2.
Eilish later criticized the excessive production of vinyl variants by major musicians, which some listeners interpreted as a dig at Swift.
Charli XCX faced a similar situation in 2024 when several UK-exclusive editions of Swift's album helped her retain the top position on the British charts.
Fans recently praised Robbie Williams for his approach to dealing with emerging artists while criticizing Swift's handling of the music industry.
Robbie Williams' handling of Olivia Rodrigo's songwriting dispute drew comparisons to Swift
Robbie Williams's 2012 song Candy was recently compared to Rodrigo's latest festive release, Take Me Home (4Christimas).
The 52-year-old initially raised eyebrows after tagging Rodrigo in a cheeky message on X, but soon made it clear that he would not pursue legal action against her.
“I love Olivia Rodrigo. I’ve loved her since Brutal. What a f**king record. I wish I’d made it,” he wrote.
Addressing the musical similarities, Williams suggested that Rodrigo might have “accidentally stumbled across a musical echo” of his work.
The singer then questioned the industry's growing tendency to treat similarities between songs as opportunities for legal action.
“There are only so many notes. Only so many chords. Only so many ways of putting them together before you inevitably find yourself somewhere somebody has been,” he explained.
Williams added that artists should be able to protect their work without treating every resemblance as a “winning lottery ticket.”
“I think it’s disgusting. We all stand on the shoulders of people who came before us. Sometimes consciously. Sometimes without even knowing it. That’s how music works,” he added.
Amused by his remarks, one netizen commented, “He ended Taylor.”
“He said, ‘I’m not like that greedy woman Taylor Swift,’” another added.
"She's so unbelievably greedy," a netizen said about Taylor Swift
