Taylor Swift Has Regained Control Over Her Entire Music Catalog in Landmark Deal

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In an impressive win for artist control, Taylor Swift has publicly declared that she has purchased back the rights to the master recordings of her first six studio albums. This much-anticipated announcement signifies the end of a lengthy, public struggle to reclaim ownership over her early musical works. With this groundbreaking agreement now in place, Swift can proudly say that she owns all of her music.

Swift regained ownership of her old albums’ masters from Shamrock Capital, who had initially bought them from Scooter Braun’s company in 2020. The specific amount paid wasn’t revealed but seems to be around the $300-$360 million USD range that Shamrock originally invested, which is less than some earlier overestimated rumors. This move ends a tumultuous phase dating back to 2019 when her previous label, Big Machine Records, sold her masters to Scooter Braun without her approval. In reaction, Swift undertook an unconventional re-recording journey, launching “Taylor’s Version” albums for Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989, which garnered both commercial and critical acclaim, effectively reducing the value of the original masters.

In simpler terms, Swift conveyed immense joy and gratitude towards her fans by writing a heartfelt letter on her website. She declared that every piece of music she has ever created now belongs personally to her. This encompasses not just audio recordings but also music videos, concert films, album art, photographs, and songs from those periods that have never been released. Additionally, she mentioned that her self-titled debut album and Reputation (Taylor’s Version) have been re-recorded, and they may resurface again when the right moment arrives.

Winning this battle marks a pivotal step forward for artists’ rights within the music sector, as Taylor Swift underscores that her struggle has motivated other musicians to demand control over their master recordings right from the start.

 

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2025-05-31 07:25