Following Taylor Swift’s masters controversy, some fans may be curious about how many of her albums she now owns. The controversy was a dispute between Swift and her former record label, Big Machine Records, over the ownership of the masters of her albums, which are the original sound recordings of her music. Before Swift made it big in the industry, she was first discovered by Scott Borchetta in 2005. That same year, Borchetta formed Big Machine Records and signed Swift as the record label’s first recording artist.
After signing on to Big Machine Records, Swift rose swiftly to stardom. Under the record label, she released a total of six hugely successful studio albums. Meanwhile, part of the deal that she signed with Big Machine Records stipulated that the record label would have ownership of the masters of these first six albums. By 2018, Swift’s contract with Big Machine Records was nearing its expiration, and she signed onto a new label, Republic Records. Part of her new contract ensured she would own the masters to the albums produced with Republic Records.
However, in 2019, Swift was outraged when she learned that Big Machine Records sold her first six album masters to Scooter Braun’s investment holding company, Ithaca Holdings LLC. Swift has a longstanding feud with Braun and has accused him of bullying and manipulating her. Hence, she was furious at having ownership of her masters passed into the hands of the last person she wanted to own her work. Additionally, she accused Big Machine Records of failing to give her a chance to buy back ownership of her masters unless she signed another contract with them and of taking advantage of her inexperience in 2005 to gain ownership in the first place. Fortunately, because Swift was the main songwriter of all her songs under Big Machine Records, she is legally permitted to re-record them.
So, that’s what Swift has been doing. She has been re-recording and releasing her previous albums so that she has ownership of them once again. Here are all of the albums that she now owns.
Lover
Lover was the first studio album Swift released under Republic Records, making it the first album she had full ownership of. The album was released on August 23, 2019, and debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard 200. Swift has described the album as a “love letter to love” and all its forms. The tone of the album is noticeably lighthearted, romantic, and intimate, and seemed to express the joy Swift felt at her newfound artistic freedom after leaving Big Machine Records behind. Some of her most enduring songs, such as “You Need to Calm Down” and “Cruel Summer,” were included in the album.
folklore
folklore was Swift’s second studio album under Republic Records and was recorded and released during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album was released on July 24, 2020, and took home the Grammy for Album of the Year. It is sometimes considered the best album of Swift’s career. In a lot of ways, folklore matched the tone of the pandemic with hints of nostalgia, heartbreak, and loneliness. It was also quite different from her usual sounds, delving more into indie folk and really offering a chance for Swift to reinvent herself.
evermore
evermore is Swift’s third studio album released with Republic Records and is considered a sister album to folklore. It was released less than five months after folklore and came as another surprise album recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it largely follows the same style as folklore, offering an indie folk and alternative rock style and using storytelling to explore themes of romance, grief, and unrequited love. evermore didn’t reach the same critical acclaim as folklore, but its positive reception and the fast turnaround between albums proved Swift was really on a music streak.
Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) was released on April 9, 2021, and was the first re-recording that Swift released. The album is a re-recording of her second studio album, Fearless, initially released under Big Machine Records. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) includes all 13 re-recorded tracks from the initial album, as well as six “From the Vault” tracks. These were previously unreleased tracks that were written or recorded for Fearless but didn’t make it on the final album. The re-recorded original tracks are nearly identical to the originals but with improved production quality, demonstrating how meticulous and faithful Swift was in re-recording them.
Red (Taylor’s Version)
Red (Taylor’s Version) was released on November 12, 2021, and marked the second re-recorded album from Swift. It is a re-recording of her fourth studio album Red and includes a re-recording of all 20 songs from its deluxe edition. However, it also includes a re-recording of her single “Ronan,” the unabridged, 10-minute-long version of “All Too Well,” recordings of “Better Man” and “Babe,” and six more From the Vault tracks. This resulted in Red (Taylor’s Version) boasting a whopping 30 tracks with all components of the album combining to form a critically acclaimed masterpiece from Swift.
Midnights
Midnights was released on October 21, 2022, and is Swift’s fourth studio album under Republic Records, not including her re-recordings. The album continues to track Swift’s reinvention of her artistry. It delves back into Swift’s previous pop style but with a unique addition of electronic music that captures her mature vocals and songwriting skills. The album plays out like a collection of late-night thoughts, dealing with insecurity, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It’s a collection of brutally honest and relatable tracks that are bound to receive a few nods at the upcoming 2024 Grammys.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is the most recent re-recording released by Swift. The album was released on July 7, 2023, and is a re-recording of her third studio album, Speak Now. It includes all 16 re-recorded tracks from the deluxe edition of Speak Now and another six From the Vault songs. Once again, the re-recorded album caused a stir as fans flocked to it for its nostalgia, improved recording quality, and additional tracks.
1989 (Taylor’s Version)
On August 9, 2023, Swift announced that she has another re-recording arriving soon. She will be re-recording her fifth studio album, 1989, and releasing it on October 27, 2023, exactly nine years after its original release. It will include re-recordings of all 16 tracks from the deluxe edition of 1989, as well five From the Vault tracks. After 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Swift will fully own eight of her albums, with only two more still awaiting re-recordings: Taylor Swift and reputation.
(featured image: Kevin Winter/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
