On May 30, Taylor Swift announced she had officially bought back her master recordings from Shamrock Capital, the firm that acquired them from Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in 2020. The deal is reportedly close to the original $360 million price tag, finally closing an intriguing chapter in her career.
In a heartfelt statement on her website, the singer shared how deeply personal the moment is. She recalled the years of frustration and heartbreak as her music was shuffled between corporate hands. “All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs to me,” she wrote. That includes albums, music videos, concert films, and even unreleased songs. She even joked, “My first tattoo might just be a huge shamrock in the middle of my forehead.”
Taylor Swift now owns her masters. pic.twitter.com/EmHPuhNged
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 30, 2025
The masters’ drama dates back to 2019 when Ithaca bought Big Machine Label Group, including Taylor Swift’s catalog. After being denied the possibility of owning her music, the singer took action by re-recording most of her albums. Starting with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in 2021 and followed by Red, Speak Now, and 1989. The “Taylor’s Versions” topped the charts and let her regain commercial control, while also reviving interest in her older music. This leaves her 2006 self-titled album and 2017’s “Reputation” re-recordings, which she revealed will have their moment in the spotlight at some point.
Taylor Swift reveals that she has already re-recorded her debut album:
“I’ve already completely re-recorded my entire debut album, and I really love how it sounds now. Those 2 albums can still have their moments to re-emerge when the time is right, if that would be something you… pic.twitter.com/ck7Xnhgd6k
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 30, 2025
Though Shamrock didn’t make much profit off the sale, they reportedly earned around $100 million during their ownership thanks to consistent global streaming revenue. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift just regained her catalog and officially kicks off her ownership era!