Taylor Swift has regained control over her entire body of work, after purchasing them from their most recent owner, the private equity firm Shamrock Capital.
In a letter addressed to her fans and well-wishers posted to her official website on Friday, Swift celebrated, “All of the music I’ve ever made now belongs to me.”
She went on to write, “All I’ve ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings, no partnership, with full autonomy.”
The recordings were originally released through Big Machine Records. She did not disclose the amount.
In recent years, Swift has been rerecording and releasing her first six albums in an attempt to regain control of her music. Swift’s re-recordings were instigated by Hybe America CEO Scooter Braun’s purchase and sale of her early catalogue and represents Swift’s effort to control her own songs and how they are used.
Officially categorised as “Taylor’s Version”, she has re-released four albums, beginning with “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021, followed by “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” in 2023. All four have met with massive commercial and cultural successes, each one debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Two albums, her debut “Taylor Swift” and “Reputation” have not been released so far. Drawing attention to the eagerly awaited rerecords of these two albums, Swift says she has not “even rerecorded a quarter” of “Reputation”; However, the work for her debut album is completed.
Previous “Taylor’s Version” releases have been more than conventional re-recordings, arriving with new “from the vault” music, easter eggs—which holds hints towards upcoming content and music—and visuals that deepen understanding of her work.
The struggle to own her master recordings has sparked widespread conversations in the music industry regarding artistic ownership and has brought legal awareness to the newer and younger generation of singers and musicians.
Ending the post on a jubilant note, Swift heartily thanked fans in the post for supporting her through this journey, “The best things that have ever been mine … finally actually are.”