Taylor Swift reclaims ownership of her first six albums
Taylor Swift has regained ownership of her master recordings. Find out how she did it, what it means for the industry, and why this matters.
Taylor Swift has officially secured ownership of the master recordings for her first six albums, marking the end of a long, high-profile fight and a new milestone for artists’ rights.
It began in 2019, when Swift’s former label, Big Machine Records, was sold to music executive Scooter Braun. That deal included the masters for Swift’s early albums: Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation. Swift made her opposition to the sale public, stating she hadn’t been given a fair opportunity to buy back her work and calling the deal a betrayal. Braun’s acquisition sparked widespread backlash and brought a largely industry-specific issue, master ownership, into the mainstream conversation.
Rather than move on from the situation, Swift responded by re-recording her albums. These new editions, branded “Taylor’s Version,” were released with updated production and the inclusion of previously unreleased songs “from the vault.” More importantly, they allowed Swift to reassert control over her work and encouraged fans to support her by streaming the new versions instead of the originals, and it worked.
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) followed, each generating massive streaming numbers and critical praise. The project became more than just a re-recording campaign, it was a global music event that doubled as an example of artist empowerment.
Now, Swift has reportedly struck a deal to purchase the original masters from Shamrock Capital, the private equity firm that bought them from Braun in 2020. While the financial details of the transaction haven’t been publicly confirmed, estimates suggest the value of the catalog could be upwards of $300–360 million. Either way, Swift now owns not only her re-recordings but also the original master recordings of the albums that built her career.
This acquisition gives Swift complete creative and commercial control over her legacy material. She can now license the original tracks for use in films, TV shows, and commercials, collect full royalties, and manage the distribution and marketing of that music without interference.
Beyond the financial and professional implications, the significance of this moment lies in what it represents for artists more broadly. Swift’s campaign has shone a spotlight on issues of intellectual property, contract transparency, and the power imbalance between artists and record labels, especially for young musicians just starting out. She has helped normalize the conversation around owning your own masters and made the concept accessible to millions of fans and aspiring artists who might not have previously understood its importance.
The broader music industry is already feeling the ripple effects. More artists, including well-established names and emerging talent, are negotiating harder for ownership rights or exploring alternative distribution models to maintain control of their work. Swift’s situation has become a case study in what it looks like to take back ownership, and what it takes to do it successfully.As for what’s next, fans are still anticipating the release of Reputation (Taylor’s Version), the final album left in her re-recording series. Whether Swift will continue with that plan or shift focus now that she owns the originals remains to be seen.