Taylor Swift Buys Back Her First 6 Albums, Says “All My Music Belongs to Me”
In a major win for the pop star, Taylor Swift has announced that she has purchased the master recordings of her first six albums, marking the end of a long-standing legal battle over her music rights. This move sees Swift regaining control over her music, which was previously owned by Shamrock Capital, the latest owner of the Big Machine Records catalogue.
The news was announced on Taylor Swift’s social media accounts, where she expressed her excitement and relief at having regained ownership of her music. “I want to thank Shamrock Capital for recognizing the importance of music ownership and legacy,” Swift wrote. “As of now, all of the music I’ve ever made now belongs to me.”
Swift’s decision to buy back her master recordings is a significant step towards regaining control over her music and artistic legacy. Throughout her career, Swift has been vocal about her concerns over ownership and control of her music, particularly in regards to her earlier work. In 2019, she publicly feuded with Scooter Braun, the manager of her former record label Big Machine Records, over the ownership of her master recordings.
The dispute began when Braun’s company, Ithaca Holdings, acquired Big Machine Records, which meant that Braun would own the rights to Swift’s master recordings from her 2006 debut album to her 2017 album “reputation”. Swift was unhappy with the deal, claiming that Braun and Scott Borchetta, the founder of Big Machine Records, had betrayed her trust.
In response, Swift announced that she would re-record her old albums in an effort to regain control over her music. This move would not only allow her to own the new recordings but also give her the opportunity to create a new version of her music that she could control.
However, with her latest purchase of the master recordings, Swift has now been able to buy back her first six albums, including “Taylor Swift”, “Fearless”, “Speak Now”, “Red”, “1989”, and “Reputation”. This means that she will now own the rights to her entire discography, giving her complete control over her music and artistic legacy.
The purchase is also a significant victory for Swift, who has been a vocal advocate for artists’ rights and ownership of their music. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of artists seeking to regain control over their music and master recordings, particularly in the wake of the music industry’s shift towards streaming and digital music consumption.
Swift’s decision to buy back her master recordings is likely to inspire other artists to take control of their own music and legacy. It also highlights the importance of artists’ rights and the need for fair and transparent deals in the music industry.
In a statement, Shamrock Capital expressed their gratitude to Swift for the opportunity to work with her and praised her commitment to music ownership and legacy. “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Taylor Swift and are grateful for the trust she has placed in us,” the statement read. “We believe that artists should have control over their music and legacy, and we are proud to have played a part in making that possible for Taylor.”
Swift’s purchase of her master recordings is a significant milestone in her career, marking a major victory for the pop star and a testament to her commitment to artists’ rights. As she continues to create and release new music, Swift will now have complete control over her artistic legacy, giving her the freedom to create music that she is proud of and that she can control.
