Taylor Swift Regains Ownership of Her Music Catalog After Six-Year Battle

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Taylor Swift has officially regained control of her original music catalog, nearly six years after her masters were sold without her consent. In an emotional statement shared on May 30, the 14-time Grammy winner confirmed she has now purchased the rights to her first six albums—an extraordinary full-circle moment in one of the music industry’s most contentious ownership battles.

"This is really happening," Swift wrote. "All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs… to me."

The journey began in 2019 when music executive Scooter Braun acquired Big Machine Records, the label that originally signed Swift in 2005. The deal gave Braun control over Swift’s discography from her 2006 debut through 2017’s Reputation. Swift publicly denounced the transaction, citing years of "manipulative bullying" and a lack of transparency surrounding the sale.

Despite multiple attempts to reclaim ownership, Swift was told she’d have to sign a strict NDA to negotiate. When Braun sold the catalog to private equity firm Shamrock Capital in 2020, Swift refused to partner with them due to Braun’s continued financial involvement. In response, she launched an ambitious re-recording project, releasing new versions of Fearless, Red, 1989, and Speak Now—all of which debuted at No. 1.

Now, after years of public and legal maneuvering, Swift has completed her mission. The catalog that once defined her rise to superstardom—songs that millions grew up with—is finally hers.

The milestone not only restores personal agency to one of the world’s most successful artists, but also marks a pivotal shift in how artists negotiate their rights. Swift’s battle has sparked a larger conversation across the industry about ownership, transparency, and creative control.

As she put it: “Good karma is real.”