From starting as a young girl from Pennsylvania who sang country to becoming the world’s best-selling artist, multi-award winner, and richest female musician, Taylor Swift has risen to super-stardom like no other singer. She built an immense army of loyal fans she calls “Swifties,” who stand by her no matter what.
💵💰 Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter 💵💰
In 2005, at only 15 years old, Swift signed her first deal with the record label Big Machine Records. She produced and recorded songs for over 10 years with them, making the record label the original owners of all her songs.
Related: Taylor Swift’s net worth: How the world’s richest female musician built her fortune
This decade was pivotal in Swift’s career, since it turned her into the iconic singer she is today. With Big Machine, she produced hit albums including “Taylor Swift” in 2006, “Fearless” in 2008, “Speak Now” in 2010, “Red” in 2012, “1989” in 2014, and “Reputation” in 2017.
However, it’s show business after all, and money reigns supreme.
Taylor Swift has major news for Swifties.
Image source: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for the Recording Academy
Taylor Swift loses the rights to her music
Unfortunately, Swift lost the rights to her first six albums in 2019 after record executive Scooter Braun bought them from Big Machine under his company, Ithaca Holdings,
Swift found out about this acquisition at the same time as the general public and took to Tumblr to express her sadness, posting, “For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work. Instead I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in.”
“I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future,” she continued. “I had to make the excruciating choice to leave behind my past. Music I wrote on my bedroom floor and videos I dreamed up and paid for from the money I earned playing in bars, then clubs, then arenas, then stadiums.”
Related: New Oreo collab slays with ‘Only Murders’ star
This unfortunate event led to a years-long battle between Swift and Braun, in which she made multiple allegations against the record executive. Braun denied all accusations and claimed he had offered Swift the albums back for an undisclosed amount, but she refused.
However, Swift wouldn’t let a decade of her hard-earned work slip by that easily.
To regain control, the singer re-recorded four of her albums with updated vocals and added unreleased songs, renaming them “Taylor’s Version.”
Taylor Swift regains ownership of her ‘entire life’s work’
Six years of persistence later, Taylor Swift announced she has become the sole owner of her entire discography after buying back the rights to her first six beloved albums.
The singer delivered the exciting news by posting a letter on her website, stating:
“I’m trying to gather my thoughts into something coherent, but right now my mind is just a slideshow. As 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.”
More Entertainment:
Discount retailer brings back popular line from Dolly PartonDisney and Mickey Mouse take on Formula 1
Swift also expressed the joy this acquisition has brought her with the following words:
“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.
And all my music videos.
All the concert films.
The album art and photography.
The unreleased songs.
The memories. The magic. The madness.
Every single era.
My entire life’s work.”
In the letter, Swift made sure to thank her Swifties for remaining loyal to her through all these years:
“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. 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.”
Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast
