Swift Regains Masters Ending Decade Long Battle With Scooter Braun

The ongoing animosity between music mogul Scooter Braun and pop superstar Taylor Swift has influenced musical compositions, compelled famous personalities to declare their allegiance, and ignited the fervent indignation of Swift’s devoted fanbase, known as Swifties.

This contentious saga reached its climax in June 2019, following the announcement that Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, a media enterprise, had purchased Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Label Group for a reported $300 million. This transaction effectively transferred ownership of Swift’s initial six albums — her self-titled debut, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation — recorded under Big Machine Records, to Braun.

Swift publicly denounced the acquisition on Tumblr, labeling the situation as her “worst case scenario” and asserting that she had endured “incessant, manipulative bullying” at Braun’s hands for an extended period.

In August of that year, the acclaimed singer declared her intention to re-record her initial six albums, aiming to reacquire the ownership rights to their master recordings. “I believe artists are entitled to possess their own creations,” she conveyed to Robin Roberts during an interview on Good Morning America.

A Retrospective of Scooter Braun’s Career Trajectory

Continue below for an exhaustive chronology of the ongoing dispute between Swift and Braun:

Justin Bieber's ‘Taylor Swift What Up’ Social Media Post (August 2016)

Justin Bieber uploaded an Instagram photograph, which was later removed, depicting him on a FaceTime call with Braun and Kanye West, who was at the time managed by Braun. He appended the caption “Taylor Swift what up” to the image. This particular social media update coincided with Swift’s widely known conflict with West.

Taylor Swift’s Statement on Tumblr (July 2019)

Following Braun’s highly publicized purchase of Big Machine in July 2019, Swift voiced her strong disapproval of the transaction on Tumblr.

Within the extensive blog entry, the artist asserted that “for years,” she had “implored for an opportunity to own my work” but was instead “offered a chance to rejoin Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ back her albums sequentially, one for each new recording delivered.”

Swift, who commenced her career as Big Machine’s inaugural artist in 2005, further explained: “I departed because I was certain that upon signing that contract, [Big Machine Records founder and CEO] Scott Borchetta would divest the label, effectively selling off both myself and my future prospects. I was compelled to make the agonizing decision to abandon my creative history.”

The artist, a recipient of 12 Grammy Awards, subsequently alleged that she discovered Braun’s acquisition of her master recordings only after the transaction was publicly announced. “My mind was consumed by the relentless, manipulative torment I had endured from him over several years,” she penned. “Now Scooter has divested me of my life’s artistic output, which I was not afforded the chance to purchase. In essence, my entire musical heritage is poised to be controlled by an individual who sought to undermine it. This represents my most dire predicament.”

Scooter Braun’s Jest Regarding Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Invitees

Swift further appended a screenshot of Bieber’s widely condemned “Taylor Swift what up” Instagram update, stating, “This illustrates Scooter Braun engaging in social media harassment against me during a period of extreme vulnerability.”

Later that same month, Bieber issued an apology for the social media upload on Instagram, acknowledging it as “distasteful and insensitive.” He simultaneously defended Braun, asserting that the music executive “bore no involvement with” the content. “Truthfully, he was the one who advised me against making such a jest,” Bieber documented.

Taylor Appeals to Her Supporters for Assistance (November 2019)

Swift provided an update on the ongoing dispute and directly solicited assistance from her fanbase. In a communique disseminated via Twitter, she alleged that Borchetta and Braun had prohibited her from performing any tracks from her initial six albums during her upcoming American Music Awards appearance.

“My intention was to present a compilation of my chart-topping songs from the past decade at the event,” she articulated regarding the anticipated performance. “The directive communicated to me is unequivocally apparent. In essence, it’s ‘Act compliantly and remain silent. Otherwise, face retribution.’”

Swift subsequently urged her followers to contact public figures associated with Braun, hoping they might facilitate her obtaining authorization to perform her compositions.

“Braun also represents numerous artists whom I genuinely believe respect their peers and their creative output,” she stated. “Kindly appeal to them for assistance in this matter — my hope is that they can persuade the individuals wielding oppressive authority over someone whose sole desire is to perform the music she authored.”

Towards the end of that month, Big Machine refuted Swift’s assertions in an extended declaration. “We never communicated that Taylor was forbidden from performing at the AMAs,” the record label maintained. “Furthermore, we lack the authority to prevent her from conducting live performances anywhere.”

Scooter Divests of Taylor’s Master Recordings (November 2020)

Fewer than eighteen months post-acquisition, Braun transferred the ownership of Swift’s master rights to Shamrock Holdings for a sum exceeding $300 million. In the same month, Swift debunked speculations that she had bought her catalog back from Braun, disclosing that the transaction had transpired entirely without her awareness.

“He consistently refused to provide my team with a quotation. These master recordings were simply not available for my purchase,” she asserted on Twitter.

The Commencement of the ‘Taylor’s Version’ Epoch (April 2021)

Swift fulfilled her pledge to re-record her initial six albums, subsequently unveiling Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021.

“I have frequently articulated my rationale for re-creating my first six albums, and the method I’ve adopted for this endeavor will, I hope, clarify my motivations,” she stated in the album’s introductory letter. “Creators ought to retain ownership of their compositions for a multitude of justifications, yet the most glaringly apparent is that the artist alone possesses an intimate understanding of that complete body of work.”

Swift proceeded to launch Red (Taylor’s Version) in November 2021, followed by Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in July 2023. August 2023 saw her disclose that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was scheduled for an October 2023 release.

Scooter Addresses the Controversy (June 2021)

Braun presented his perspective on the events during a Variety cover story interview. “I lament, and it causes me sorrow, that Taylor responded to the agreement in such a manner,” he conveyed to the publication, asserting that the specifics Swift divulged concerning the acquisition were “devoid of factual grounding.”

He elaborated: “I am unaware of the narrative she received. I requested multiple meetings with her, yet she declined.”

Braun additionally mentioned that Swift’s portrayal of him as an intimidator caused him the deepest distress. “I am unequivocally opposed to any form of bullying. My approach consistently prioritizes gratitude and empathy. What brought me the greatest pride during that period was the unwavering support of my artists and my team. They are privy to my true nature and integrity. That held significant meaning for me,” he articulated.

Scooter’s Roster of Artists Diminishes (August 2023)

Demi Lovato, who had publicly advocated for Braun in July 2019 when Swift accused him of bullying, was reportedly among several prominent clients who severed professional relationships with Braun in August 2023, alongside Ariana Grande and Bieber.

A source familiar with the circumstances conveyed to Us then that “all of Scooter Braun’s managed artists are bound by contract, and discussions have been underway for numerous months as Scooter transitions into his expanded capacity as CEO of Hybe America.”

Swift’s devoted followers were swift to speculate that these developments portended difficulties for Braun. “Imagine Taylor Swift’s peaceful slumber, aware that Scooter Braun’s dominion is collapsing #karma,” one Twitter user remarked, accompanying the post with an image of the eponymous mouse from Tom and Jerry serenely sleeping in a bed.

Another user interjected: “Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande severing ties with Scooter Braun?! This, dear, surpasses retribution,” drawing a parallel to Swift’s 2010 song bearing that title.

By June 2024, an announcement confirmed that Braun and Grande were set to “maintain their enduring professional collaboration and explore innovative ventures within Weverse and REM Beauty,” further specifying, “In this fresh phase, Grande will remain under the sole management of Brandon Creed/Good World Management.”

Taylor Hints at Disapproval (December 2023)

Swift ruminated on her conflicts with Braun and West in her TIME 2023 Person of the Year feature, asserting, “Let there be no confusion — my professional path was forcibly removed from my control.”

She proceeded, “Nothing endures indefinitely. Consequently, I exercise immense diligence in appreciating every moment I am afforded to operate at this echelon, as it has been snatched from me previously. A singular lesson has been imparted to me: my reaction to any occurrence, positive or negative, is to persistently create. To continuously produce art. Yet, I’ve also grasped the futility of overtly attempting to ‘vanquish’ one’s adversaries. The irrelevant always expunges itself.”

Swift further asserted her conviction that Braun acquired her master recordings for “malevolent motives,” elaborating, “I was utterly blindsided by the divestment of my music, and by its recipient. My thought was, ‘They’ve prevailed over me now. This is the end. I am at a loss.’ … Everything hinges on one’s approach to bereavement. My reaction to intense suffering is invariably defiance.”

The Documentary Series (May 2024)

The ongoing contention between Swift and Braun became the focus of a Disney+ documentary series named Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood. Us Weekly verified that a declaration presented at the conclusion of the series originated from Swift’s official representative.

The statement conveyed, “No individual involved will ever succeed in diminishing Taylor’s indelible impact as a composer, vocalist, director, humanitarian, and champion for creators’ entitlements. Taylor has unequivocally progressed beyond this narrative, transforming what began as an immensely distressing circumstance into one of the most gratifying undertakings of her existence.”

Just prior to the series’ debut, Braun declared his cessation from music management, confirming his continued tenure as CEO of Hybe America.

Reconciliation and Moving Forward (October 2024)

Braun discussed the Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood documentary series during a Bloomberg Screentime gathering in Los Angeles, mentioning that his parents had encouraged him to view it after his initial reluctance.

“Listen, half a decade has passed,” he remarked. “I believe, collectively, it’s time to proceed. A significant number of elements were inaccurately portrayed.”

Braun additionally underscored the criticality of individuals engaging in “direct communication” when confronting disagreements. He articulated, “I contend that conducting such matters on social media for global observation is inappropriate. My perspective is that when individuals genuinely dedicate time to face one another and converse, they typically ascertain that the perceived antagonist is not authentic. And that particular engagement has not materialized.”

Taylor Recovers Ownership of Her Musical Works (May 2025)

Responding to persistent fan requests for her concluding pair of re-recorded albums, Swift revealed in an extensive letter posted on her official website that she had secured full ownership of her master recordings. “I had nearly abandoned the belief that this outcome was possible, following two decades of being tantalized with a promise only to have it withdrawn,” she penned. “However, all of that is now relegated to history. I’ve been experiencing spontaneous outbursts of joyous tears since realizing this momentous event is truly unfolding. I genuinely have the privilege of articulating these phrases: Every piece of music I have ever created … is now … mine.”

Beyond her master recordings, Swift also obtained complete control over her concert cinematics, album visuals, photography, and previously unreleased compositions. She additionally disclosed that although she had finalized the re-recording of her self-titled inaugural album, she consistently postponed the completion of Reputation (Taylor’s Version). “A moment will arrive (should the concept appeal to you) for unissued ‘Vault’ tracks from that specific album to emerge,” she elucidated.

Braun responded to the announcement in a communiqué to Us, tersely remarking, “I extend my best wishes to her.”

All ‘Life of a Showgirl’ Lyrics Disclosed by Taylor Swift to Date

‘New Heights’ Podcast Uncovers Fresh Responses (August 2025)

During her appearance on the August 13 installment of the “New Heights” podcast, Swift recounted the poignant occasion when she informed Kelce that she had succeeded in acquiring her master recordings.

“I tapped on the door, he was engaged in video games, and I attempted to deliver the news casually,” Swift divulged. “You approach, and I declare, ‘I’ve recovered all my music,’ and then I completely broke down, weeping uncontrollably.”

Mere days subsequent to the podcast installment’s debut, TMZ accosted Braun in Los Angeles, inquiring about his reaction to Swift’s elucidation of the narrative on “New Heights.”

Braun concisely responded, “My well wishes extend to everyone.”