Two years ago, a line was drawn between Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun after he purchased Big Machine. Included in the mega-deal were the rights to Swift’s master recordings of her first six studio albums, and what followed was an unleashing of the singer’s fans who slammed Braun. Swift accused him of not even “[quoting] my team a price” so she could buy them back and stated that Braun attempted to edge her into signing a non-disclosure agreement that would “silence me forever.”
In 2020, Braun alleviated himself of the drama and sold off Swift’s assets to Shamrock for $300 million, and all the while, Swift has been recreating her albums as restrictions to rerecordings expire. In a recent interview with Variety, Braun spoke openly about the ongoing spat with Swift and seemed despondent about how it all played out.
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“I regret and it makes me sad that Taylor had that reaction to the deal,” said Bruan. “All of what happened has been very confusing and not based on anything factual. I don’t know what story she was told. I asked for her to sit down with me several times, but she refused. I offered to sell her the catalog back and went under NDA, but her team refused. It all seems very unfortunate. Open communication is important and can lead to understanding. She and I only met briefly three or four times in the past, and all our interactions were really friendly and kind. I find her to be an incredibly talented artist and wish her nothing but the best.”
“The thing that struck me the worst is the word ‘bully,‘” he added. “I’m firmly against anyone ever being bullied. I always try to lead with appreciation and understanding. The one thing I’m proudest of in that moment was that my artists and team stood by me. They know my character and my truth. That meant a lot to me. In the long run, I’m happy for my life’s work to be the legacy I leave behind.”
This controversy has sparked additional conversations about artists owning their own masters and once they do, using them to their benefit.
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