In a spectacular and emotional victory over artistic ownership, Taylor Swift officially bought back the rights to master recordings of her first six albums.
Swift has reviewed the long and often painful journey since Master was sold without her knowledge in 2019, confirming the news in a heartfelt official statement.
“I’m trying to gather my thoughts into something consistent,” writes Swift. “But now, my mind is nothing more than a flashback sequence of all the time that I fancyed, hoping and threw a pin for the opportunity to share this news.
“All the music I’ve ever made… belongs to me now.”
Taylor Swift
Swift emphasized that the deal would include “all my music videos, all my concert films, album art and photos, unreleased songs, The Memories, magic, madness, every era, the whole of my life.”
A letter posted on Taylor Swift’s website. (Taylor Swift)
SAGA began nearly six years ago, on June 30, 2019, when Ithaca Holdings, a music executive scooter brown, acquired the Big Machine Label Group for an estimated $300 million, along with the master recording of Swift’s first six albums. Big Machine, which was helmed by Scott Borchetta, had signed Swift when he was 15 years old.
By then, Swift had already said goodbye to Big Machine and had signed with Universal Music Group on a deal that would allow him to retain ownership of future jobs under Republic records. At the time, she expressed her gratitude for the past, but remained optimistic about her future.
However, when the deal between Ithaca and the Big Machine was announced, Swift made it clear that she had no prior notice. In a Tumblr post later that day, she said she felt “sad and awful” and learned of the acquisition when it was released. Swift also revealed that she was not given the opportunity to purchase the catalog herself.
In 2020, Brown sold the Master to Shamrock Capital, further complicating the path to Swift’s ownership. She responded by launching a bold re-recording campaign that began with “Fearless (Taylor’s version)” and “Red (Taylor’s version).”
The re-recording ultimately sparked a cultural juggernaut, the “ERAS tour.” According to Swift, the huge success gave her financial strength and creative leverage to ultimately regain her own.
Swift also tackled the much-anticipated “reputation (Taylor’s version)” in a recent letter, explaining why it took longer than the other letters.
“The reputable album was very specific at the time in my life,” Swift said. “When I tried to remake it, I kept hitting a stop point, all of that rebellion is longing for it to be understood while feeling intentionally misunderstood…it’s one album I thought I couldn’t improve.
Now, her master, whom she believes they have always belonged, is back, and Swift’s story is in a complete circle.
For Swift and her fans, it’s more than a business transaction, it’s poetic justice.
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