Taylor Swift has achieved a milestone long sought after by artists worldwide: she now owns the master recordings of her first six albums, reclaiming control over the body of work that made her a global superstar. This landmark moment, announced on May 30, 2025, marks the culmination of a six-year saga that transformed the conversation around artistic ownership in the music industry.
The Origins of the Dispute
Swift’s journey began in Nashville at age 14, when she signed with Big Machine Records. As was standard in the pre-streaming era, the label retained ownership of the master recordings in exchange for financing her early career. Swift’s contract with Big Machine ended in 2018, but the rights to her first six albums—Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation—remained with the label.
In June 2019, music executive Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine, including Swift’s masters, for an estimated $300 million. Swift publicly objected, citing years of personal and professional conflict with Braun and expressing dismay that she was not given the opportunity to buy her own work.
“All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years,” Swift said at the time, calling the sale her “worst-case scenario”.
The Fight for Ownership
Unable to regain her masters directly, Swift launched a bold strategy: re-recording her first six albums as “Taylor’s Version.” This move allowed her to control new recordings of her songs, reducing the value of the originals and giving fans an alternative to support her ownership. Over the next several years, she released four re-recorded albums, each with bonus content, while continuing to campaign for artists’ rights.
In 2020, Braun sold Swift’s masters to Shamrock Capital, a private equity firm, for a reported $300–$360 million. Swift revealed she had tried to negotiate with Braun but was asked to sign an “ironclad NDA” that would prevent her from speaking negatively about him, which she refused.
The Final Victory: Buying Back Her Masters
On May 30, 2025, Swift announced that she had purchased her masters from Shamrock Capital, finally gaining full control over her original recordings, music videos, concert films, album art, photography, and unreleased tracks. While the exact purchase price remains undisclosed, sources estimate it closely matches Shamrock’s original acquisition cost, around $360 million.
“All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs… to me,” Swift wrote in an emotional letter to fans. “I can finally say these words: All of the music I ever created… now belongs… to me. And all my music videos. All the concert films. The album art and photography. The unreleased songs. The memories. The magic. The madness. Every single era. My entire life’s work”.
Swift credited her fans and the success of her “Taylor’s Version” albums and the record-breaking Eras Tour for making this moment possible.
What This Means for Artists and the Industry
Owning her masters gives Swift complete autonomy over the use, distribution, and licensing of her music—a right most artists have historically lacked. She can now decide if her songs appear in films, commercials, or video games, and she alone benefits from their continued success. This victory is seen as a watershed moment for artist rights, inspiring others to seek greater control over their work.
Taylor Swift’s acquisition of her masters is more than a personal triumph; it is a turning point in the music industry’s approach to artist ownership. Through determination, business savvy, and public advocacy, Swift has set a new precedent for creative control, ensuring that her legacy—and her life’s work—remains truly hers.
Read Taylor’s personal letter on her webiste The Official Website of Taylor Swift