Taylor Swift gains control of her music catalogue
Pop superstar Taylor Swift said on Friday (May 30) that she had purchased the master recordings of her first six albums, giving her control of all of her music after a dispute with her former record label.
Swift's masters had been sold in 2019 and the singer said she was not given the opportunity to buy them at the time. She re-recorded four of the albums with the subtitle "Taylor's Version".
Swift purchased the original recordings from current owner Shamrock Capital in what she called her "greatest dream come true". No financial terms were disclosed.
"I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out this is really happening," she said in a statement on her website.
"I really get to say these words: All of the music I've ever made ... now belongs ... to me."
The Fortnight singer also said she had re-recorded her 2006 self-titled debut album and parts of 2017 release Reputation. She said she would release them "when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about".
Swift has won 14 Grammys, including an unprecedented four trophies for album of the year, and recently completed the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
The 35-year-old singer recorded her first six albums, which included hits such as Shake It Off and You Belong With Me, with Big Machine Label Group before leaving in 2018 for Universal Music Group.
Music executive Scooter Braun bought Big Machine in 2019 and Swift publicly accused him of bullying her and refusing to give her a chance to purchase her original recordings. Swift said in 2020 that BMG had sold her music to Shamrock. Media reports at the time said the deal was worth more than US$300 million.
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