After a lengthy and public dispute over the ownership of her music, Taylor Swift announced on Friday that she has successfully regained control of her first six albums. In a statement on her website, Swift expressed her satisfaction, stating, “All of the music I’ve ever made … now belongs … to me,” encompassing not just the albums, but also music videos, concert films, and unreleased songs.
The controversy began in 2019 when Swift's original record label, Big Machine Records, was sold to Scooter Braun for $300 million, a move Swift described as her "worst-case scenario." Braun's company later sold the masters to Shamrock Capital, which ultimately negotiated a deal to return the rights to Swift.
The albums in question include her self-titled debut, "Fearless," "Speak Now," "Red," "1989," and "Reputation." Swift's subsequent work has been produced under Universal Music Group. To reclaim her music, Swift began re-recording her previous albums, releasing "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" and "Red (Taylor's Version)" in 2021, followed by "Speak Now" and "1989" in 2023.
Fans have shown a keen interest in Swift's future releases, particularly regarding her re-recording of "Reputation." Although speculation was rife about upcoming announcements, Swift stated she had not yet re-recorded a significant portion of the album, citing challenges in recreating the specific emotions tied to that period in her life. She confirmed, however, that unreleased tracks from the album would be shared in the future.
In her announcement, Swift emphasized that any future projects would be approached from a celebratory perspective, rather than one of loss or regret.