Introduction to the Saga
Taylor Swift’s journey to regain the rights to her first six albums has become one of the most significant stories in the history of the modern music business. The dispute brought the complex world of copyright and master ownership into the national spotlight. At the same time, the conflict escalated to stratospheric heights as Swift’s re-recorded versions of her old albums, known as "Taylor’s Version," became massive hits.
The Beginning of the Dispute
The saga started on June 30, 2019, when it was announced that Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings had bought Big Machine Label Group for $300 million. With the deal, Ithaca received the music rights of acts such as Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Reba McEntire, and of course, Swift, who was the biggest act from Big Machine until she left the label for Republic Records at Universal Music Group in 2018. Swift quickly commented on the sale, stating that she learned of the deal "as the world was announced" and called it "my worst-case scenario," citing "incessant, manipulative bullying" from Braun for years.
The Conflict Escalates
In August 2019, Swift confirmed that she was planning to re-record her music so that she could regain control of the masters of at least one version of her first six albums. She stated that her contract allowed her to re-record the albums starting in November 2020. In November 2019, Swift claimed that Braun and Borchetta would not allow her to play her old songs at the American Music Awards, which led to a public feud between the parties.
The Sale of Swift’s Catalog
In November 2020, Shamrock Capital, a private equity company founded by Roy Disney, bought Swift’s catalog from Braun and Ithaca for around $300 million. Swift reported the sale and wrote: "This was the second time my music was sold without my knowledge." She claimed that her team tried to negotiate with Braun, but he wanted her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that would prevent her from speaking negatively about him.
The "Taylor’s Version" Era
In 2021, Swift started re-recording her old albums, starting with "Fearless (Taylor’s Version)," which was released in April 2021. She then released "Red (Taylor’s Version)" in the same year and "Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)" and "1989 (Taylor’s Version)" in 2023. According to Luminate, "Fearless (Taylor’s Version)" has sold 3 million units, "Red (Taylor’s Version)" has sold 5.2 million, "Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)" has sold 2.7 million, and "1989 (Taylor’s Version)" has sold 4.9 million.
The Final Chapter
On May 30, 2025, Swift announced that she had completed the deal with Shamrock and had regained control of her master recordings. She stated that she had "bought back my entire life" and that all of her music now belonged to her. The deal was reportedly worth around $360 million, although some reports suggest it could be worth twice as much. Swift revealed that she had not started working on the remaining two "Taylor’s Version" albums, but that the remake of her debut album was finished. She stated that these albums could still be re-released if the time is right, but for now, she is celebrating her newfound control over her music.
