The end of 'Taylor’s version'? Taylor Swift could buy back her original masters
Taylor Swift may end her re-recording era if she successfully buys back the original masters of her first six albums. Scooter Braun would play an unlikely role in this transaction.
After years of controversy surrounding the sale of Taylor Swift’s original master recordings, sources reveal that Swift now has a chance to purchase back the masters of her first six albums.
This potential deal marks a significant turning point following the highly publicized feud between Swift and music executive Scooter Braun, who initially acquired the masters in 2019.
The battle over Taylor Swift’s masters
In 2019, Taylor Swift battle for her masters was made public after the artist announced she was signing with Universal Group after six albums with her previous label Big Machine Records. The owner, Scott Borchetta had been a close personal friend of the global pop star after she was the first artist to sign to his brand-new label.
Taylor Swift signed with Scott Borchetta and Big Machine Records at 15 years old. Photo: BETFTW!
After her album Reputation, Taylor Swift's contract was over, and as she knew Borchetta was planning to sell the label, she decided to part ways with Big Machine Records; leaving her old catalogue behind. However, in Swift's own words: "I knew he would sell it, I could not believe who he sold it to".
The buyer was none other than Scooter Braun, Kanye West's manager since 2016, when the rapper released the song "Famous" which caused the whole Kardashian-West feud with Taylor Swift and the #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty. West would later release the music video, in which a naked wax figure of Taylor Swift could be seen.
Considering these previous incidents as well as provocative comment from Scooter Braun and Justin Bieber on Instagram, she saw the purchase as a direct attack. “Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it,” she said in a Tumblr post at the time.
The battle for her masters led her to rerecord her old albums and eventually to "The Eras Tour". Photo: The Rolling Stone
Scooter Braun now encouraging sale back to Swift: the price could reach up to $1 billion
According to Page Six, Braun himself is pushing the investment firm Shamrock Capital, who bought the masters from him in 2020, to offer the recordings back to Swift. The deal is for the original recordings of Swift's first 6 albums:
- Taylor Swift
- Fearless
- Speak Now
- Red
- 1989
- Reputation.
Music business consultant Clayton Durant says buying back the original masters would be incredibly profitable for Swift. Estimated worth is between $600 million to $1 billion, but owning both the original and re-recorded masters would boost her earnings substantially from her royalties and licensing rights.
