Taylor Swift has officially taken back ownership of her original master recordings, ending a years-long battle for the rights to her early music catalog. The pop icon announced on Friday, May 30, that she successfully repurchased the masters from Shamrock Capital — the firm that previously bought them from Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in 2020.
In a powerful message shared on her website, Swift reflected on the emotional toll of the long-running saga:
“All the times I was this close, reaching out for it, only for it to fall through… But that’s all in the past now… I really get to say these words: All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs to me.”
The deal, according to Billboard, was closed for a price close to what Shamrock initially paid — around $360 million. Though the firm is believed to have made limited profit from the sale itself, they reportedly earned about $100 million during their three-year ownership through streaming and licensing revenue.
Swift expressed deep gratitude for Shamrock’s handling of the transaction, stating:
“I am endlessly thankful. My first tattoo might just be a huge shamrock in the middle of my forehead.”
Scooter Braun, whose acquisition of Swift’s catalog without her knowledge sparked public backlash in 2019, kept his response brief, telling Billboard, “I am happy for her.”
Swift’s dispute over the rights to her early albums began when Braun’s Ithaca bought Big Machine Label Group, which held the masters to her first six studio albums. In response, Swift launched a bold initiative to re-record her old music — a move that has proven commercially and critically successful.
The Taylor’s Version re-releases of Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989 have consistently outperformed their original counterparts in streaming, with Red (Taylor’s Version) earning nearly 10 times the equivalent album units of its predecessor.
Now, with full control over her original works, music videos, concert films, and unreleased tracks, Swift stands in full command of her legacy — a rare and hard-won victory in the music industry.
“My memories and my sweat and my handwriting and my decades of dreams,” Swift wrote. “Every single era. My entire life’s work.”
