The multi-hyphenated superstar officially reacquires the rights to all her original music, including the first six albums that sparked her career.
If you’ve ever scrolled through Spotify and wondered why there are two versions of All Too Well or Style, you’re not alone. And no, it’s not just Taylor Swift being extra or flexing her creative evolution… There’s actually a much deeper, messier, and ultimately empowering reason behind it—and it’s just hit an epic, full-circle moment now that Taylor Swift owns her music.
Taylor Swift now owns the rights to her first six albums. Yes, all of them. From her country roots on Taylor Swift (2006) to the pop powerhouse of Reputation (2017), they’re finally hers. And for Swifties, and honestly, anyone who values artists owning their work, that’s definitely a big deal.
But why? Well, let’s rewind a bit.
What Really Happened with Taylor’s Albums?
Back in 2019, Taylor’s former record label, Big Machine Label Group, sold the masters of her first six albums to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings. That means the original versions of her music—everything from production to distribution rights—were no longer in her control, essentially meaning Taylor Swift didn’t own her music at that point
And Taylor wasn’t quiet about her feelings. She described it as the “worst-case scenario.” She said she had been trying for years to buy back her masters, only to be told she’d have to “earn” each album back, one at a time, if she signed with Big Machine again.
“I learned about Scooter Braun’s purchase of my masters as it was announced to the world,” she wrote back then. “All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years. Scooter has stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy… Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it.”
The Re-Recording Era Begins
And that’s how the re-recording of all her early albums began: the “(Taylor’s Version)” era, and with it, a fandom-powered movement that would reshape how people think about artist rights.
Now, after years of fighting to gain rights to her music, after months of silence after concluding her The Eras Tour concert, Miss Americana has officially bought back the rights to her entire catalog from Shamrock Capital (who had purchased them from Braun in 2020). Six years later, the work is finally hers, solidifying that Taylor Swift owns her music outright.
Taylor dropped the news in true Swiftie fashion—with a heartfelt letter, some artsy photos, and a social media caption that captured it all: “You belong with me.”
“I really get to say these words: All of the music I’ve ever made now belongs to me,” she wrote. But it’s more than just her songs. This new deal covers her music videos, concert films, album artwork, unreleased tracks, basically her entire creative universe. As she put it: “The memories. The magic. The madness. Every single era. My entire life’s work.”
While the exact amount wasn’t disclosed, some sources estimate the buyback was worth around $600 million—or more. That’s nearly a billion-dollar flex, not just in terms of money but in owning your art, your story, and your legacy.
A Win for All Artists
In her letter, Taylor made it clear that this wasn’t just a win for her. It was a win for artists everywhere. She said this fight and its visibility helped other musicians push for their own master rights in contract negotiations. “Every time a new artist tells me they negotiated to own their master recordings in their record contract because of this fight, I’m reminded of how important it was for all of this to happen,” she wrote.
Yes, Taylor’s influence here literally changed the music industry. What used to be seen as “too behind-the-scenes” for public conversation is now a hot topic.
So, where do we go from here? Well, Taylor says Reputation is still a work in progress—or maybe not. “I haven’t even re-recorded a quarter of it,” she admitted. “It’s the one album in those first six that I thought couldn’t be improved upon by redoing it. Not the music, or photos, or videos. So, I kept putting it off.”
And what about the unreleased vault tracks from that era? She teased that she might release them someday “if that would be something you guys would be excited about.” But if it happens, she said, it’ll be “a celebration now,” not something born out of loss or frustration.
Also, in one of the most Taylor things ever, she even joked: “My first tattoo might just be a huge Shamrock in the middle of my forehead,” as a thank you to Shamrock Capital for how respectfully they handled the deal.
Supporting Taylor’s Legacy
So, whether you’re streaming Red (Taylor’s Version) on loop, crying over Enchanted at an Eras Tour movie night, or just vibing with 1989 while cleaning your apartment, know that you are part of something bigger. You’re supporting an artist who fought for control, stayed true to her vision, and changed the game for everyone who comes after her, setting a precedent that Taylor Swift owns her music and others can too.
So, Swifties, rejoice! Our playlists just got even more powerful. So… which version are you streaming today?
