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Taylor Swift's long and public battle over the rights to her original music may be reaching its most dramatic turning point yet. According to multiple sources, the pop icon now has a rare opportunity to buy back the master recordings of her first six albums, a deal that could cost up to $1 billion. The twist? Scooter Braun, the same man she once accused of stripping her of her life's work, is reportedly encouraging the sale.
In 2019, Swift lost ownership of her master recordings when Braun's Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group for over $300 million. That purchase included the rights to her albums Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation. Swift, who signed with Big Machine at age 15, later claimed she was never given a fair chance to purchase the recordings herself. "Scooter has stripped me of my life's work," she wrote at the time, calling him a "bully" and accusing him of "toxic male privilege."
Braun then sold the masters to investment firm Shamrock Capital in 2020, reportedly for a profit. Since then, Swift has re-recorded her albums under the "Taylor's Version" banner to regain control over her catalog. Her recent re-recording of Look What You Made Me Do aired during The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 episode, reigniting public interest in her musical legacy.
Now, sources tell Page Six that Shamrock is open to selling the recordings back, and Braun is playing a behind-the-scenes role in pushing the deal forward. "Interestingly enough, one of the individuals who is encouraging this deal to take place is Scooter," a source confirmed.
Industry experts see significant financial incentive for Swift. Clayton Durant, founder of CAD Management, told Page Six: "If she could claw back and create a deal structure where she could get the rights to her original recordings, she exponentially increases the amount of money she makes." Durant added that Swift would earn residual royalties from both versions and gain exclusive licensing rights for ads, films, and performances.
While Swift has maintained that she was blindsided in 2019, conflicting reports suggest her father, Scott Swift, then a Big Machine shareholder, may have known. He reportedly earned between $15 million and $16 million from the deal.
Whether for legacy, principle, or profit, Swift's potential acquisition marks a pivotal moment in her career and the music industry. It's a reminder that in an age where content is king, control remains queen and Taylor Swift is fighting to reign over both.
