Latest news with #musicmasters
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What Taylor Swift really paid for her masters, revealed
The post What Taylor Swift really paid for her masters, revealed appeared first on ClutchPoints. Taylor Swift is finally in control of her music after a tumultuous fight to gain the masters of her first six albums. Swift announced that she was able to buy her masters after Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings bought the record label which originally owned her albums, and sold them to Shamrock Capital in November 2020. The Grammy-winning singer was finally able to buy back her masters, but it did not come at a cheap price. According to Billboard, Swift bought back her masters for a whopping $360 million. Previous reports indicated that Swift paid $1 billion to own her music. It was also debunked that Braun was the reason behind the Shamrock sale. 'Contrary to a previous false report, there was no outside party who 'encouraged' this sale. All rightful credit for this opportunity should go to the partners at Shamrock Capital and Taylor's Nashville-based management team only,' the source told PEOPLE. 'Taylor now owns all of her music, and this moment finally happened in spite of Scooter Braun, not because of him.' In a handwritten note posted to her official website, Swift gave insight to her fans on the journey she went through in order to obtain her masters. 'I'm trying to gather my thoughts into something coherent, but right now my mind is just a slideshow. A flashback sequence of all the times I daydreamed about, wished for, and prayed away for a chance to get to tell you this news. All the times I was thisssss 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. 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.' By buying her masters, she was able to gain ownership of albums: Taylor Swift, 1989, Reputation, Red, Speak Now, and Fearless. She added: 'To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty casual about it. To my fans, you know how important this has been to me—so much so that I meticulously re-recorded and released four albums, calling them Taylor's Versions. The passionate support you showed those albums and the success you found giving The Eras Tour into why I was able to buy back my music. I can't thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but never owned until now. All I've ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright.' In addition to her handwritten message she also posted a picture of herself surrounded by the six albums. 'You belong with me,' she wrote in the caption before instructing fans to head to her website for the handwritten letter. In the note she also gave fans an update on the 'Taylor's Version' of her re-recorded albums. Before she bought back her masters, she was was re-recording the albums and added additional songs onto the project. She told fans that have been anticipating Reputation (Taylor's Version) that that album as well as her self-titled re-recording will 'have their moment to re-emerge when the time is right, if that is something you guys would be excited about.' 'But 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.'
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Selena Gomez Congratulates Taylor Swift on Buying Back Her Masters: ‘So Proud'
Selena Gomez is celebrating her longtime friend Taylor Swift's latest victory. On Friday (May 30), the Rare Beauty founder showed her support for Swift after the pop superstar revealed she had officially purchased back the masters to her first six albums. More from Billboard Here's Why Fans Think Taylor Swift Just Teased Her Next Album After Buying Her Masters Robin Thicke and April Love Geary Marry After Six-Year Engagement Rihanna's Father, Ronald Fenty, Dies at 70: Report 'YES YOU DID THAT TAY!!!' Gomez wrote in all caps on her Instagram Story. 'SO proud!' Swift made the announcement earlier in the day by posting photos of herself with the covers of her first six albums on Instagram, directing fans to a heartfelt letter on her website. In the lengthy message, the 14-time Grammy winner reflected on the emotional journey of reclaiming her music. 'To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,' she wrote. 'To my fans, you know how important this has been to me — so much so that I meticulously re-recorded and released four of my albums, calling them Taylor's Version.' 'The passionate support you showed those albums and the success story you turned The Eras Tour into is why I was able to buy back my music,' the singer added. '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.' Swift acquired the masters from private equity firm Shamrock Capital for somewhere around $360 million, sources tell Billboard. The sale comes six years after Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings purchased her catalog from Big Machine's Scott Borchetta in 2019, later selling his ownership of Swift's music to Shamrock in late 2020. Of the pop superstar's purchase, Braun tells Billboard, 'I am happy for her.' Gomez and Swift's friendship spans nearly two decades. The two first met in 2008 through the Jonas Brothers — Swift was dating Joe at the time, while Gomez was linked to Nick. Since then, they've remained close, consistently supporting each other through the many highs and lows of their personal lives and careers. Check out a full timeline of their longtime friendship here. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Forbes
31-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Taylor Swift's ‘Reputation' Soars To No. 1 Following Her Groundbreaking News
Taylor Swift finally has control over the masters of her first six albums. While that's great news for the singer-songwriter and her following, her recent major acquisition also comes with some downsides. Swift posted a letter to her website on May 30 announcing that, after years of re-recording her early full-lengths in an effort to regain some form of ownership, she has purchased them outright. That means she no longer needs to re-release the final two sets in the series. Fans had been eagerly anticipating Reputation (Taylor's Version), but the missive made it clear that not only is the project not finished, it may never be completed. While there may never be a Reputation (Taylor's Version), the original edition benefits from Swift's huge move. The 2017 full-length shot straight to No. 1 on iTunes rankings around the world, including in the U.S., after millions learned there won't be a revamped edition. The electronic-leaning effort surged more than 160 spaces to become the top-selling title in America. After weeks at the summit, Morgan Wallen's I'm the Problem has finally been dethroned. Several recent releases stalled behind the country powerhouse, including Something Beautiful by Miley Cyrus, which was released just yesterday (May 30). While Cyrus's latest was largely unable to compete with I'm the Problem, Reputation had no issue doing so. Swift's entire catalog gained significantly on iTunes after the news broke that she now controls her own music. Her self-titled debut — the only other one of her six earliest records that hasn't yet been re-released — currently sits at No. 2, right behind Reputation. Swift mentioned that she has already completed the re-recording of her debut, and it will likely be released at some point, although no timeline has been given for when fans may hear it. Swift currently fills four spaces inside the top 10 on the iTunes Top Albums chart, with Speak Now and 1989 (Deluxe Edition) coming in at Nos. 8 and 9, respectively. Both sets have already been re-released and become huge commercial successes, but it's the originals that have become bestselling titles once more. The Grammy champion occupies a total of 15 positions on the 200-spot albums roster. That roundup includes several of her Taylor's Version releases, as well as a number of full-lengths she never needed to re-record, such as Evermore and Folklore, among others.
Khaleej Times
31-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
'Tears of joy': Taylor Swift finally gains control of her entire music catalogue
Pop superstar Taylor Swift said on Friday she had purchased the master recordings of her first six albums, giving her control of all of her music after a dispute with her former record label. Swift's masters had been sold in 2019 and the singer said she was not given the opportunity to buy them at the time. She re-recorded four of the albums with the subtitle "Taylor's Version." Swift purchased the original recordings from current owner Shamrock Capital in what she called her "greatest dream come true." No financial terms were disclosed. "I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out this is really happening," she said in a statement on her website. "I really get to say these words: All of the music I've ever made ... now belongs ... to me." The 'Fortnight' singer also said she had re-recorded her 2006 self-titled debut album and parts of 2017 release 'Reputation'. She said she would release them "when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about." Swift has won 14 Grammys, including an unprecedented four trophies for album of the year, and recently completed the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. The 35-year-old singer recorded her first six albums, which included hits such as 'Shake It Off' and 'You Belong With Me', with Big Machine Label Group before leaving in 2018 for Universal Music Group Music executive Scooter Braun bought Big Machine in 2019 and Swift publicly accused him of bullying her and refusing to give her a chance to purchase her original recordings. Swift said in 2020 that BMG had sold her music to Shamrock. Media reports at the time said the deal was worth more than $300 million. Representatives for Braun did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Swift praised executives at Shamrock, founded by Walt Disney's nephew Roy E. Disney, as being "honest, fair and respectful." "My first tattoo might just be a huge shamrock in the middle of my forehead," she joked.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Dream come true': Taylor Swift gains control of her music catalogue
STORY: :: File Pop superstar Taylor Swift said on Friday she had purchased the master recordings of her first six albums, giving her control of all of her music after a dispute with her former record label. Swift's masters had been sold in 2019 and she said she was not given the opportunity to buy them at the time. The singer re-recorded four of the albums with the subtitle "Taylor's Version." Swift purchased the original recordings from current owner Shamrock Capital in what she called her "greatest dream come true." No financial terms were disclosed. In a statement on her website, she said, "I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out this is really happening.' "I really get to say these words: All of the music I've ever made ... now belongs ... to me." The 35-year-old singer recorded her first six albums with Big Machine Label Group before leaving in 2018 for Universal Music Group. Music executive Scooter Braun bought Big Machine in 2019. Swift publicly accused him of bullying her and refusing to give her a chance to purchase her original recordings. In 2020, Swift said BMG had sold her music to Shamrock. Media reports at the time said the deal was worth more than $300 million. Representatives for Braun did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Swift praised executives at Shamrock, founded by Walt Disney's nephew Roy E. Disney, as being (quote) "honest, fair and respectful."
