Los Angeles: Pop icon Taylor Swift has officially regained control over the master recordings of her first six studio albums, marking the end of a long and emotional battle with her former record label and business executives.
Swift announced the acquisition on Friday, stating she had successfully purchased the masters from Shamrock Capital, the investment firm that had previously acquired them. The financial terms of the transaction were not made public.
“I’ve been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out this is really happening,” she shared in a statement on her website. “I really get to say these words: All of the music I’ve ever made … now belongs … to me.”
This milestone comes after years of public dispute following the sale of Swift’s masters in 2019 to music executive Scooter Braun through his purchase of Big Machine Label Group. Swift alleged she was not given the opportunity to buy her work and accused Braun of bullying tactics. The catalog was later sold to Shamrock Capital, with reports valuing the deal at over $300 million.
In response, Swift began re-recording her early discography under the “Taylor’s Version” banner to reclaim ownership and creative control. So far, she has released four re-recorded albums and confirmed she has also re-recorded her 2006 self-titled debut and parts of her 2017 album Reputation.
She added that she would release the remaining re-recordings “when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about.”
Swift, who recently completed the highest-grossing concert tour in history and now holds 14 Grammy Awards—including an unprecedented four wins for Album of the Year—originally recorded her early hits such as “Shake It Off” and “You Belong With Me” under Big Machine before transitioning to Universal Music Group in 2018.
Though Scooter Braun has yet to comment on the latest development, Swift expressed gratitude toward Shamrock Capital and its leadership. “My first tattoo might just be a huge shamrock in the middle of my forehead,” she joked. She also described the firm’s executives as “honest, fair and respectful.”
With this acquisition, Swift now possesses full control over her entire musical legacy—a rare and significant achievement in the music industry.
