Taylor Swift buys back rights to first 6 albums after years of trying

Taylor Swift has purchased the rights to her first six albums after years of turmoil with Big Machine Records, the singer announced Thursday. Swift acquired the albums and associated visuals from Shamrock Capital, their most recent owner, for a nine-figure sum. The exact amount has not been disclosed, however, the singer said the price tag was exceptionally reasonable.

"To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it," Swift wrote in a handwritten letter to fans, as reported by Variety. "All I've ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings attached, no partnership, with full autonomy. I will be forever grateful to everyone at Shamrock Capital for being the first people to ever offer this to me...My first tattoo just might be a huge shamrock in the middle of my forehead."

Swift began to re-record her first six albums in 2019 after they were sold by Big Machine Records against her wishes, prompting her to release "Taylor's Versions." She explained that the newly recorded versions will still be available alongside the originals. Despite the deal, Swift said that she still intends to release the highly anticipated, "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" album, although a release date has not been provided.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Swift's nemesis, Scooter Braun of Ithaca Holdings, who purchased the catalog of albums from Big Machine Records in 2019 before Shamrock acquired them, had no involvement in Shamrock's decision to sell, and has not profited from Swift's albums since selling the rights, per Variety.

"All rightful credit for this opportunity should go to the partners at Shamrock Capital and Taylor's Nashville-based management team only," the source said. "Taylor now owns all of her music, and this moment finally happened in spite of Scooter Braun, not because of him."

Swift, one of the world's most famous singers, continued in her letter, saying, "Right now, my mind is just a flashback sequence of all the times I daydreamed about, wished for, and pined away for a chance to get to tell you this news. All the times I was thiiiiis close, reaching out for it, only for it to fall through."

"I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away," she continued. "But that's all in the past now. I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out that this is really happening. I really get to say these words: All of the music I've ever made...now belongs...to me."