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Taylor Swift Triumphs: Reclaims Ownership of Her Music Catalog Six Years After Scooter Braun Controversy
Music industry justice has finally been served for Taylor Swift.
In a landmark moment for artist rights, Taylor Swift has officially regained control of her original music catalog—nearly six years after her masters were sold to music executive Scooter Braun, igniting a public and painful dispute. On Friday, May 30, the 14-time Grammy Award-winning artist shared the emotional news with her fans via Instagram, revealing that she has successfully bought back her master recordings.
“All of the music I’ve ever made... now belongs... to me,” Swift announced, her message resonating with joy, relief, and triumph.
The deal gives Swift full ownership of her first six studio albums, including hits from her 2006 debut through 2017’s Reputation. This significant victory comes after years of advocacy for artist rights and a strategic re-recording campaign that saw the release of Taylor’s Version albums—efforts that not only reshaped the music industry but inspired a new generation of musicians to fight for ownership of their work.
A Dream Realized
Reflecting on her long journey, Swift wrote, “All I’ve ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to purchase my music outright with no strings attached... my entire life’s work.” She credited her fans for their unwavering support, especially through the success of her re-recordings and the record-breaking Eras Tour, which empowered her to pursue and complete this monumental
acquisition.
The pop icon expressed deep gratitude to Shamrock Capital, the investment firm that acquired her catalog from Braun in 2020, for finally offering her the opportunity to repurchase it. “They saw this not just as a business deal, but as the memories, sweat, handwriting, and decades of dreams that came with it.”
What’s Next for Taylor’s Versions?
Fans eager for updates on the unreleased Taylor’s Version albums were given an honest look at Swift’s creative process. While her debut album has been fully re-recorded, she admitted that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) has been more emotionally complex to revisit.
“It’s the one album that I thought couldn’t be improved upon by redoing it,” she confessed. “All that defiance, that longing to be understood… I kept putting it off.”
Still, Swift didn’t rule out future releases, saying they’ll come in due time—no longer from a place of longing, but as a celebration.
A Legacy Redefined
Swift’s battle for ownership began in June 2019 when Scooter Braun’s company, Ithaca Holdings, acquired Big Machine Records and with it, the rights to her first six albums. Swift, who had signed with Big Machine as a teenager, said she had repeatedly tried to purchase her masters but was only offered restrictive deals.
In a 2019 Tumblr post, she accused Braun of “incessant, manipulative bullying” and described learning of the deal at the same time as the public. In 2020, Braun sold the catalog to Shamrock Capital—but under terms that still allowed him to profit from her music.
Swift’s commitment to re-recording her work instead of accepting unfair conditions reignited conversations in the music industry about artist ownership. Her advocacy has since inspired many up-and-coming artists to demand better contracts and retain control of their creations.
“The Best Things That Have Ever Been Mine… Finally, Are.”
Concluding her statement, Swift wrote: “Thanks to you and your goodwill, teamwork, and encouragement, the best things that have ever been mine… finally actually are.”
Elated and empowered, Taylor Swift's journey comes full circle—redefining not just her legacy but the future of music ownership.
