In a groundbreaking announcement, Taylor Swift revealed yesterday that she has successfully bought back the rights to her first six albums, celebrating a crucial victory in her ongoing battle for ownership of her music. "All of the music I've ever made now belongs to me," Swift stated on her official website, sharing her overwhelming joy about reclaiming her artistic work. "I've been bursting into tears of joy... ever since I found out this is really happening."
The saga began in June 2019 when music manager Scooter Braun purchased Swift's former label, Big Machine, which included the rights to all her early albums, including "Taylor Swift," "Fearless," "Speak Now," "Red," "1989," and "Reputation." Swift had long opposed the sale, blaming Braun for the aggressive bullying she faced from Kanye West, one of his high-profile clients. She expressed that regaining her music rights had once felt impossible. "To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it," she added, thanking her fans for their unwavering support throughout this challenging journey.
Historically in the music industry, the owner of master recordings has significant control over the distribution and licensing of music, allowing artists to earn royalties while retaining authoritative rights over future uses. Swift had always maintained her publishing rights, allowing her to veto licensing offers but never possessing the full ownership of her master tapes.
In response to this setback, Swift had begun re-recording her earlier albums, releasing them as "Taylor's Versions," which would effectively reduce the commercial value of the original recordings held by Braun. To date, she has put out four re-recorded albums, complete with added bonus content, but noted that the re-recording of "Reputation" was proving challenging—a testament to its personal connection for her amid public scrutiny of her life.
The announcement comes as a fitting culmination of a tumultuous journey which included emotional distress and a desire for equitable treatment within the industry. Swift's decision to buy back her masters serves as an inspiration to other artists, encouraging them to negotiate ownership in their contracts following her experiences.
Though it is unknown how much Swift paid to attain her masters—the original catalog was previously sold for $300 million in 2020—speculation about a figure between $600 million and $1 billion has been deemed exaggerated.
As Swift continues to celebrate her artistic achievements, her journey underscores the importance of ownership and empowerment for artists in the music industry. Swift’s remarkable trajectory not only marks a personal victory but also ignites wider discussions about artist rights, making her story one of resilience and inspiration in today's music landscape.
