Taylor Swift buys back her first six albums! What does it mean for Reputation (Taylor's version)?
Taylor Swift reacquires rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Holdings and now owns both original, and ‘Taylor’s Version’ editions.
Good news for Swifties around the world! Taylor Swift surprises fans once again with news of her acquiring the rights to her first six albums:
- Taylor Swift
- Fearless
- Speak Now
- Red
- 1989
- Reputation
After almost many years of negotiations and catalog transfers, Swift proudly announced on social media she had purchased the rights from Shamrock Holdings with a simple caption: "You belong with me", as a wordplay of her famous song; along with 6 emoji hearts, each representing one of her albums.
What happens with the ‘Reputation (Taylor’s Version)’ rerecording?
Taylor Swift certainly knows her fans. In a public letter addressed to them, she explained. "I know, I know. What about Rep TV?". She revealed that her sixth album has been particularly difficult to revisit: "Full transparency: I haven't event re-recorded a quarter of it". According to Swift, Reputation was the only album out of the six, which she felt it could not be improved.
The battle for her masters, inspired Taylor Swift to create "The Eras Tour". Photo: The Guardian
In the letter, she claimed that while she has been putting off "Reputation (Taylor's Version)"; there is still a chance for the "vault-tracks" to be released if that's something fans are interested in. "If it happens, it won’t be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now,” she stated.
Taylor Swift announces she's finally the owner of the masters of her first six albums. Photo: TaylorSwift.com
Is it the end of 'Taylor's Version'?
No, while we will only have the vault-tracks of "Reputation", it was not the only rerecording missing. Her first album, "Taylor Swift", also known as "Debut", was also supposed to be released as a "Taylor's version". However, in the letter, Swift confesses that she has already finished the new version of the album and she "loves how it sounds now".
She promises both albums, "Debut" and "Reputation", will have their time to shine when the time is right. She finishes the letter expressing how grateful she was for all the support she received among artists and fans in this endeavor. "The best things that have ever been mine... finally actually are".
