Taylor Swift‘s long battle with her former record label is over. The popular recording artist has regained her former music library.
In a letter posted on TaylorSwift.com, Taylor shared that all of the music she’s ever made now belongs to her. Swift said, “I’ve been bursting into tears of joy ever since I found out this is really happening.”
The saga has been ongoing since June 2019 when former manager Scooter Braun bought Swift’s former record label Big Machine, gaining ownership of Swift’s songs and most popular albums. Swift took exception to the deal, blaming Braun for being complicit in the bullying she endured from Kanye West, one of Braun’s clients.
“To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,” shared Swift. “I can’t thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but have never owned until now. I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away. But that’s all in the past now.”
Swift’s decision to take Kelly Clarkson’s advice and return to the recording studio to re-record her old songs, would change the course of history. She began re-recording her albums in 2021, starting with her album, ‘Fearless’.
Braun meanwhile sold his stake in Swift’s catalog in 2020 to Shamrock Holdings, a Los Angeles investment fund founded by the Disney family. Though it left Swift feeling blindsided once again that her music was sold without her knowledge, she was open to partnering with Shamrock. That was until she learned that under the terms of a sale Braun would continue to profit off her work.
“I simply cannot in good conscience bring myself to be involved in benefiting Scooter Braun’s interests,” Swift said in a letter to the company, which she posted on social media.She began releasing her re-recorded albums in 2021, starting with her breakthrough, coming-of-age album Fearless.
Swift became the first musician to earn one billion dollars from songwriting and performing in 2023. Most of her wealth came from music royalties and touring. The rest was the result of her music catalogue including her re-recorded music. Her ‘Eras Tour’ in 2023 and 2024 generated more than 2 billion in ticket sales.
The news of Swift regaining control of her original music immediately began spreading across the music radio scene. Here are what some in the industry had to say about the news on social media.
EVERY 👏 SINGLE 👏 ERA 👏 @taylorswift13 pic.twitter.com/eFetyVJIW5
— iHeartRadio (@iHeartRadio) May 30, 2025
