Taylor Swift: In a powerful career milestone, Taylor Swift has officially reclaimed ownership of her entire music catalog, announcing on May 30 that she successfully bought back the master recordings for her first six albums. The long-awaited move marks a triumphant end to a public battle that began in 2019 — and sets a new standard for artist rights in the music industry.
“This is really happening,” the 35-year-old pop superstar wrote in a heartfelt open letter shared to her website. “All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs… to me.”
The victory gives Swift complete control over her master recordings, music videos, concert films, album art, and unreleased tracks. On Instagram, she celebrated the news with a nostalgic carousel of her album covers, captioning it with a simple, emotional nod to her past: “You belong with me.”
Swift originally lost ownership of her catalog in 2019 when music executive Scooter Braun acquired Big Machine Label Group. A year later, Braun sold her masters to Shamrock Capital, triggering a wave of fan backlash and sparking Swift’s decision to re-record her first six albums as “Taylor’s Version.”
Now, with Shamrock’s cooperation — which Swift praised as “honest, fair, and respectful” — the artist has fully bought back her life’s work. Billboard reports the deal is estimated at $360 million, though Swift hinted its emotional value was far greater. “My first tattoo might just be a huge shamrock on my forehead,” she joked.
Fans also received updates on Swift’s remaining two re-recordings. Her self-titled debut album, Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version), is finished and “sounds better than ever.” However, Reputation (Taylor’s Version) remains incomplete. “To be perfectly honest,” she said, “it’s the one album that I thought couldn’t be improved upon by redoing it.”
Still, Swift hinted that vault tracks from both projects may be released in the future — “if that would be something you guys would be excited about,” she teased.
Swift credited her global fanbase for turning this dream into reality. “Your support of the Taylor’s Versions and the Eras Tour is why I was able to buy back my music,” she wrote. “The best things that have ever been mine… finally actually are.”
This landmark deal not only cements Taylor Swift’s legacy but also sets a precedent in the entertainment industry — empowering artists to fight for the rights to their own creations. As Swifties celebrate this full-circle moment, the message is clear: standing up for ownership is worth it.