Report: Taylor Swift May Get Master's Ownership of Early Albums

Taylor Swift

New reports indicate Shamrock Capital is considering selling Tahlor Swift’s original master recordings back to her for an estimated $600 million to $1 billion, a price reflecting their increased value post her record-breaking Eras Tour, which grossed over $2 billion. 

Surprisingly, Scooter Braun, despite their history, is reportedly encouraging the deal, though he retains a financial stake in the masters, complicating Swift’s decision. Swift has expressed reluctance to buy them if Braun benefits, as seen in her 2019 stance against deals tying her to him

In 2005, at age 15, Taylor Swift signed with Big Machine Records, releasing her first six albums: Taylor Swift (2006), Fearless (2008), Speak Now (2010), Red (2012), 1989 (2014), and Reputation (2017).

Under this contract, Big Machine owned the master recordings, a common practice where labels control the original recordings while artists retain songwriting rights. In 2019, Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine for $300 million, including Swift’s masters, without her being offered a chance to bid, which she publicly criticized as stripping her of her life’s work.

To regain control, Swift began re-recording her first six albums, releasing “Taylor’s Version” of Fearless (2021), Red (2021), Speak Now (2023), and 1989 (2023). These re-recordings, which she owns, include original tracks plus unreleased “vault” songs, devaluing the original masters held by Shamrock. 

Only her debut album and Reputation remain to be re-recorded. This move has been commercially successful, with fans favoring the new versions, and Swift controlling licensing for media like films and TV shows.