Taylor Swift could recover its original masters after years of dispute with Scooter Braun
Taylor Swift fans await ‘Reputation’ re-recording, after teaser for ‘The Handmaids Tale’ series
Taylor Swift will have the opportunity to buy back the master recordings of her first six albums, Page Six has learned exclusively.
This potential deal would mark the end of one of the most bitter battles of her career, which began in 2019 when businessman Scooter Braun acquired the rights to her masters for $300 million dollars, leading the singer to decide to re-record her albums in the so-called Taylor's Versions.
Where does the conflict between Braun and Swift come from?
In 2019, Swift accused Braun - manager of artists such as Justin Bieber and Kanye West - of being a "bully" and exemplifying the "toxic male privilege" in the industry. Braun sold the masters the following year to the firm Shamrock Capital, but now, according to sources, he himself would be pushing for the company to negotiate with Swift.
The albums in question are: Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989 and Reputation. While the transaction could cost between $600 million and $1 billion, experts like Clayton Durant, founder of CAD Management, say it would be worth it: "If she gets her original masters back, she'll control her entire catalog and increase her royalties." Swift's strategy of re-releasing her albums has given her greater creative and financial control. Durant explained that while the original versions still generate revenue, the re-recordings allow her to make more money. Furthermore, every time she releases a Taylor's Version, the consumption of the original recording also increases.
This news comes just after Swift premiered 'Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)' in an episode of The Handmaid's Tale, demonstrating the commercial power of her music.
Was there really an initial exclusion?
Swift always claimed that she did not have the opportunity to buy her masters, but sources close to Braun assure that the sale was widely discussed in the industry. It has even been suggested that her father, Scott Swift, a shareholder in Big Machine (her original label), would have received 16 million dollars in the transaction.
While Shamrock seeks to ensure the singer knows about this new offer, the conflict continues to spark debates about artistic ownership and ethics in the music industry. For Swift, it's more about reclaiming a legacy she fought to regain than about business.