On Friday, music superstar Taylor Swift took to her official Instagram and website to deliver a monumental announcement.
First, she posted a heartfelt open letter revealing that she’d successfully bought back the master recordings of her first six albums for an estimated $360 million, per Billboard, one of the most significant acts of her artistic career.
Shortly thereafter, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes joined the celebration, reposting a fan account’s message on X highlighting Swift’s historic milestone,
The message read, "Swift now owns her masters," making the three-time Super Bowl MVP and teammate of Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, one of the first major public figures to celebrate her win.
In June 2019, Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group (Swift’s first label) for roughly $300 million, gaining control of the masters for her eponymous debut through Reputation albums.
Swift publicly decried the deal, calling it her "worst-case scenario," and announced plans to re-record her early work to regain ownership.
Beginning in 2021, Swift released re-recorded versions of Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989, each debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Taylor Swift cheering for Kansas City Chiefs
Taylor Swift cheering for Kansas City Chiefs
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Swift's reveal on Friday highlighted that she’d negotiated directly with Shamrock Capital, which acquired her masters from Braun’s firm in 2020, to repurchase the recordings for about $360 million.
In her letter, she wrote, "All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs… to me," continuing, "The best things that have ever been mine, finally actually are."
This moment now concludes a six-year odyssey for Swift.