Taylor Swift‘s journey to reclaim her music began with a bitter fallout that shocked the industry. In 2019, the pop superstar lost control of her first six albums when music mogul Scooter Braun bought her master recordings for $300 million through her original label, Big Machine Records. Swift, who signed with Big Machine in 2005 at just 15, had created a stellar catalog-Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation–but had no ownership over the masters.
When Braun acquired them, Swift wasn’t given a chance to buy them herself, a move she called a betrayal. She accused Braun of bullying and “toxic male privilege,” claiming he and Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta stripped her of her life’s work, sparking a public feud that ignited debates about artists’ rights.
Braun sold the recordings to Shamrock Capital in 2020 for a profit, but now, in a surprising turn, Shamrock is offering Swift the chance to buy them back. Sources told Page Six that Braun himself is encouraging this deal, a twist no one saw coming.
Reputation on the line: Taylor Swift could own her masters again
The price could be between $600 million and $1 billion, but for Swift, it’s about more than money-it’s about reclaiming her legacy. Clayton Durant of CAD Management notes that owning both the original and re-recorded versions, like her recent “Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)” featured on The Handmaid’s Tale on May 21, 2025, would skyrocket her earnings. She’d gain full control over licensing for films, TV, and more, while boosting royalties as re-releases often spike interest in the originals.
This opportunity feels like a second chance for Swift, who has maintained she was blindsided by the 2019 sale. However, some sources claim the deal was industry knowledge, and her father, Scott Swift, a Big Machine shareholder, earned $15-16 million from it, a claim backed by emails and the Bad Blood documentary.
Swift’s response was to re-record her albums, a bold move that started in 2021 and has reshaped how artists view ownership. For a billionaire like Swift, this might be a matter of principle, a way to heal the wounds from 2019 when she wrote on Tumblr that her legacy was being dismantled. As she considers this $1 billion decision, Swift’s fight continues to inspire, showing that even a global star can stand up to an industry and fight for what’s hers.
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