Taylor Swift has finally regained control over her entire music catalogue after buying back the master recordings of her first six albums from private equity firm Shamrock Capital. The singer-songwriter, who had lost the rights to her music in 2019 when her former record label Big Machine sold them to music executive Scooter Braun, expressed gratitude to her fans for their support throughout the 20-year battle.
Swift’s master recordings, including videos, concert films, album art and unreleased songs, were initially sold to Shamrock Capital for a reported $300 million. However, sources confirm that the actual cost was significantly lower, around $600-1 billion.
To regain control over her music, Swift embarked on a project to rerecord all six albums, branding each one “Taylor’s Version” and adding previously unreleased tracks from the original songwriting sessions. The rerecords have been commercially successful, with four previously released versions breaking records for Swift in the UK alone.
The move has sparked industry-wide conversations about artist rights, with many young female artists now able to own their master recordings due to Swift’s efforts. In a letter to her fans, Swift expressed her gratitude for their support and enthusiasm throughout the process, saying that it meant “every single bit” of it to her.
With her new ownership, Swift can now retain full autonomy over her music, allowing her to make decisions about its release and usage without interference from third parties. The move marks a significant victory for Swift’s campaign for artist rights, which has inspired countless others in the industry.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/30/taylor-swift-buys-back-master-recordings-taylors-versions