‘I Couldn’t Stop Crying’: Swifties React as Taylor Swift Reveals She Finally Owns Her Music

It’s official: After a six-year saga, Taylor Swift finally owns her music. She took control following a tense situation that started in 2019, when her contract with Big Machine ended and her masters were sold to Scooter Braun and Ithaca Holdings. Today, after re-recording four out of six of the albums she had released under Big Machine, Swift announced in a letter that she now had control over all her old music — and her fans are just as elated as she is.

Zainub Amir, who manages the update account @SwiftNYC, is still “speechless,” she says. “I am still trying to find the words. Taylor has poured so much into her music and seeing her finally own it all felt incredibly emotional. It’s such a testament to her persistence and a huge inspiration to anyone who’s ever felt unheard or undervalued.”

Longtime fan Kyra Beck initially thought the letter was fake as it began circulating on social media. “I try to approach everything on the Internet with a healthy dose of skepticism,” she admits. “Once I realized it wasn’t, I ran to her website to read the letter. I’ve been a fan since around the Red era, so I’ve lived through the entire masters situation, and her honesty throughout this journey has been so inspiring to see. I just feel so overwhelmed with happiness and pride for her.”

“These albums have such a special place in all our hearts,” says another fan named Rachel Rogerson. “To have them back in the hands of the person who created them means the absolute world. If I’m honest, I couldn’t stop crying at the thought of her owning these albums, as I watched and supported her through all the turmoil and pain that this caused.”

The point of Swift’s re-recording project, in her own words, was to devalue the original albums while they were under other people’s ownership. For much of the fandom, this became a kind of political stance: Numerous fans avoided listening to the original recordings, in a show of solidarity with Swift. Today, many celebrated online by listening to the original versions of classic Swift songs like “Style” and “Holy Ground.”

“Personally, I did not listen to the ‘stolen’ versions after Taylor’s Versions were released,” Rogerson says. “Knowing the money received would be going to a person who has taken advantage of someone that I deeply love was a dealbreaker for me, and it brings me immense joy that [Scooter Braun] will no longer be benefiting from both the sales and streams of these albums.”

After Swift’s Eras Tour wrapped in 2024, the star went dark after the Grammys and Super Bowl. Swifties waited impatiently for her next move, assuming that re-recorded versions of Reputation and her self-titled debut album (known as “debut” colloquially in the fandom) would be released soon. In the letter, Swift admitted she barely made a dent in re-recording Reputation, finding it difficult to recreate the magic of that album again. For some fans, it’s a little sad to see the end of the re-recording project, especially given the numerous, never-before-released “vault” recordings she’d tack on to each Taylor’s Version.

“It’s so bittersweet,” says fan Savannah Charles. “Reputation is definitely a fan favorite that so many Swifties were eagerly anticipating, but at the same time, I think Taylor hit the nail on the head — it’s a fan favorite because she perfected that era.”

Overall, the fandom feels uniquely bonded by the experience. Like Swift’s music, the ordeal made her stans feel like they were on this journey with her, fighting for her music as much as she was. For many, the experience was the reason why Eras Tour existed in the first place, so there were some positives they’ve observed as they reflect on the situation now that it’s over.

“As awful as the original situation was, I do think it was the catalyst for so many incredible things, like the Eras Tour,” Beck says. “I got to interact with tons of other Swifties while creating my Eras Tour surprise song blanket, and it was incredible to see how united everyone was in their support for Taylor’s fight to own her work. I’ve even heard of newer fans saying they were waiting for the re-recordings to listen to Reputation and her debut for the first time, so I hope they’re having fun listening today!”

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