My entire life’s work.” In her announcement, Swift expressed gratitude and praised Shamrock for how they handled the deal, noting they understood the deeply personal meaning behind the transaction.
Her re-recording journey began with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021, followed by Red (Taylor’s Version) in November 2021.
In 2023, she released Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version), each topping the Billboard 200 chart.
She has sold 54 million albums in the U.S. and generated 70.746 billion streams.
To my fans, you know how important this has been to me — so much so that I meticulously re-recorded and released four of my albums, calling them Taylor’s Version.
The private equity firm Shamrock Capital, which acquired Taylor Swift’s master recordings from Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in late 2020, told Swift on Friday, May 30, that she now owns them again. The price at which Shamrock reportedly sold Swift’s catalog back to her was not far from what they paid for it, which sources tell Billboard was approximately $360 million.
“Every time I was this close, reaching for it, only for it to fall through,” Swift writes in a message posted on her website. After twenty years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away, I nearly lost hope that it would ever happen. But now that it’s all over, I can honestly say: All of my music is now mine. every music video I’ve made. Every concert movie. both the photographs and the album art. the unnoticed music. The memories. . The sorcery. The crazy. every single time period. My life’s work. “”.
In her statement, Swift thanked Shamrock and commended them for their handling of the transaction, stating that they were aware of its intensely personal significance. “My handwriting, my sweat, my memories, and my decades of dreams,” she writes. “I am so grateful. One of my first tattoos might be a massive shamrock in the center of my forehead. “”.
“I am happy for her,” Braun tells Billboard of the pop star’s acquisition. “”.
The story of Swift’s master recordings began in June 2019, when Ithaca paid an estimated $300 million to acquire Big Machine Label Group, the owner of the master recordings for Swift’s first six albums. According to estimates made at the time, Swift’s catalog was worth at least half of that sum. Swift has openly expressed her dissatisfaction with her masters’ frequent changes over the years, and in 2019, she started re-recording those Big Machine albums to regain commercial control over her songs.
She started her re-recording journey in April 2021 with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and in November 2021 with Red (Taylor’s Version). She released Taylor’s versions of Speak Now and 1989 in 2023, and both songs peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The re-recording of her self-titled debut and her last Big Machine album, Reputation, is still something that fans are looking forward to. Since departing Big Machine in November 2018, she has put out five more albums on Republic Records: The Tortured Poets Department (2024), Folkore (2020), Evermore (2020), Midnights (2022), and Lover (2019). Her career-defining Eras Tour, which she started and finished, completely changed the definition of a concert tour and greatly increased sales and streaming of her whole discography, including the re-recordings.
Shamrock bought Swift’s music in 2020, but Swift had nothing to do with it. At the time, she claimed that this was the second time her music had been sold without her knowledge.
Swift’s artistry and the worth of her music were highlighted in Shamrock’s 2020 statement regarding their purchase of her catalog from Ithaca. Their belief in Swift’s work’s long-term potential led them to invest in her, describing her as a “transcendent artist” with a “timeless catalog.”. Even though they had hoped to work with her directly, they accepted and respected her choice to stay out of the project. Shamrock conveyed interest in future collaboration with Swift and thanked her for her professionalism.
Although the terms of the deal were not made public, it would appear that Shamrock did not profit much, if at all, from the sale of the assets, as sources close to the negotiations claim Swift paid a price that was comparable to the $360 million Shamrock paid back in 2021. Still, during the more than three years that it owned the records, the Disney-affiliated financial firm turned a profit of about $100 million. From 2022 to 2024, Swift’s six albums and two live albums recorded after signing with Big Machine brought in an average of about $60 million annually worldwide, according to Billboard’s estimates based on Luminate data. Approximately half of that revenue was probably spent on distribution, marketing, and royalties to Swift, leaving Shamrock with an annual profit of about $30 million.
The re-recordings of Swift’s albums Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) have significantly out-streamed their originals since their release, according to a 2023 Billboard report. The new Fearless album garnered three times the original’s equivalent album units, while the new Red album earned up to ten times the original.
As of May 22, Luminate reports that Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) has sold 23.3 million equivalent album units, compared to 86.6 million for the original. A. units, even though the latter had a lead of over 12 years; Red (Taylor’s Version) has amassed 5.18 million equivalent album units, compared to 9.16 million for the original. S. units, even though the latter was released almost a decade before the re-recording; Taylor’s version of Fearless has accumulated 3.0 million equivalent album units, compared to the original’s 11.7 million in the United States. S. units, the latter having a 13-year advantage; and 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which was released nine years after the original, has sold 4.87 million equivalent album units, compared to 14.6 million for the original.
Since the release of her self-titled debut album in 2006, Swift’s catalog has sold 116,77 million equivalent album units in the US, according to Luminate. In the United States, she has sold 54 million albums. S. resulting in 70 point 746 billion streams.
Read Taylor’s complete statement about taking back her masters.
Hello.
My mind is currently a slideshow, but I’m working to organize my ideas into something logical. A flashback sequence of all the times I hoped for, dreamed about, and waited for the opportunity to share this news with you. In every instance, I was this close, reaching for it, and it fell through. After 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away, I nearly lost hope that it would ever happen. However, that is all behind us now. Ever since I discovered that this is actually happening, I’ve been crying uncontrollably at random times. I truly get to utter these words.
I now own all of the music I have ever created.
as well as every one of my music videos…
each and every concert movie.
both the photography and the album art.
the unheard music.
The memories. . The enchantment. the insanity.
Each and every historical period.
My life’s work.
It would be a bit of a stretch to say that this is my greatest dream realized. You know how much this has meant to me, my fans—so much so that I painstakingly re-recorded and re-released four of my albums under the title Taylor’s Version. The reason I was able to repurchase my music was due to your enthusiastic support of those albums and the success you made of The Eras Tour. I am so grateful that you helped me get back in touch with this art that I have devoted my life to but had never owned before.
My only dream has always been to work hard enough to eventually be able to buy my music outright, with no partnerships or conditions, and with complete freedom. Since Shamrock Capital was the first to offer me this, I will always be appreciative of everyone there. They have been truthful, equitable, and courteous in all of our dealings with them. They saw this as a business transaction, but I felt that they saw it for what it was to me: my handwriting, my sweat, my memories, and my decades’ worth of dreams. I am so grateful. One of my first tattoos might be a massive shamrock in the center of my forehead.
Yes, I am aware. For the record, I haven’t even re-recorded a quarter of Rep TV. Remaking the Reputation album kept coming to a standstill because it was so unique to that period of my life. That defiance, that desire to be understood while feeling intentionally misunderstood, that hopeless desperation, that snarl born of shame, and that mischievous behavior. In all honesty, it’s the only album from the first six that I didn’t believe could be made better by a redo. Not the pictures, the videos, or the songs. I therefore continued to put it off. If you’re into the idea, the unreleased Vault tracks from that album will eventually emerge. I’ve already rerecorded my debut album in its entirety, and I adore the new sound. If that would be something you guys would be excited about, those two albums may still have their moments to resurface when the time is appropriate. If it occurs, though, it won’t be because I’m depressed and yearn for something I can’t have. Now it’s just going to be a party.
This story has sparked new discussions among artists and fans in my industry, which has greatly encouraged me. This fight was crucial, and I am reminded of that every time a new artist tells me that they negotiated to own their master recordings in their record contract. We appreciate your interest in something that was once deemed too industry-specific for general discussion. You have no idea how much your concern means to me. All of it added up to get us to this point.
The best things that have ever been mine are finally here because of you, your kindness, cooperation, and support.
Excited and in awe.
The Taylor.
Additional reporting by Dan Rys and Elizabeth Dilts Marshall.
