When Taylor Swift was thirteen, she signed a contract with Big Machine Records founded by Scott Borchetta and recorded six albums. In June of 2019, the company was bought by Scooter Braun a music executive. Scooter Braun now owns Taylor Swift’s albums which include Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation. Taylor has created a seventh album but she produced it on her own and not with Big Machine Records. Since they own all Taylors albums, she wants to recreate them so they can be produced under her name. She will not be able to do this until next year, according to her contract with Big Machine Records.
Taylor Swift recently posted three posts on her social media which were a message to her audience. One of the posts said, “Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform my old songs on television because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year”. Taylor was honored at the American Music Awards (AMAs) with the Artist of the Decade Award and is the first artist to receive the Artist of the decade award. This post was in response to her award by letting her audience know that she was planning to perform a medley of her hits throughout the decade but she won’t be able to.
Netflix created a documentary about her life but she is not allowed to use her older music in the documentary. “Netflix has created a documentary about my life for the past years. Scott and Scooter have declined the use of my older music or performance footage for this project, even though there is no mention of either of them or Big Machine Records anywhere in this film”. Taylor also mentions how she did not want to announce the Netflix documentary in this way. |
If Taylor wants to use her music she has to follow specific guidelines. “Scott Borchetta told my team that they’ll allow me to use my music only if I do these things: If I agree to not re-record copycat versions of my songs next year (which is something I’m both legally allowed to do and looking forward to) and also told my team that I need to stop talking about him and Scooter Braun”.
Big Machine Records responded with a statement, “At no point did we say Taylor could not perform on the AMAs”. Scooter Braun later posted on an Instagram that he had been receiving death threats since Taylor’s posts. His post ended with, “As the world now knows you can and should perform any song you would like at the AMAs”. After Big Machine Records responded with denying Taylor’s claim, Taylor’s team found proof that she had been telling the truth. Big Machine records started a feud they couldn’t finish. In the end, Taylor was able to perform her medley at the AMAs and she received 6 awards sweeping every category she was nominated for. |