The Battle Over Taylor Swift's Music: A Timeline
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about Taylor Swift getting the rights to her music back. And that's not all – she got back her artwork, photos, music videos, and anything else related to it. Even things including her handwriting.
You may be less familiar with the feud that led to this day. For almost six years, Taylor Swift has fought to reclaim her music from Scott "Scooter" Braun. It's difficult to find a full timeline of events. But the benefit of a blog is that I don't have to answer to any biases or word counts!
Let’s explore why Taylor Swift regaining control of her music is important. Then, we’ll look at the timeline of her feud with Scooter Braun.
Why Taylor Swift's Getting Her Music Back Matters
This is an issue bigger than Swift; it's a battle fought (and generally lost) by artists before her. Notably, Prince was angry. He didn't like being limited in how much music he could release or having no rights to his own masters. So, he went after Warner Bros. and tried to get contract reform for all artists.
His whole story could be another article. I recommend reading this one from Billboard for all the details.
Taylor Swift's battle for control over her music has already led to some changes.
"Every time a new artist tells me they negotiated to own their master recordings in their record contract because of this fight, I'm reminded of how important it was for all of this to happen."
Taylor Swift, Scooter Braun, and the Feud That Shook the Industry
Taylor vs. Scooter officially started in 2019, but the backstory matters. It began when Taylor signed her first record deal and took a young artist, Justin Bieber, on an early tour.
Here's a comprehensive timeline of the feud between Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun.
2005: Taylor Signs With Big Machine Records
At 15, then-unknown Taylor Swift signed with Big Machine Records. She recorded her first six albums with them – and they had ownership.
2009: Justin Bieber Opens for Taylor on the Fearless Tour
He was already managed by Scooter Braun at this time. In 2011, Braun would say Swift was an "inspiration" for Bieber.
March 2016: Scooter Braun Becomes Kanye West's Manager
This is only one month after Kanye West released "famous," in which he said, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous." (Ew.) Months later, Kim Kardashian shared an incomplete recording of a call between West and Swift. Taylor claimed this was part of a bullying campaign against her.
2018: Taylor Signs With UMG Republic
Swift moved to Universal Music Group, with Republic Records as her stateside partner. The label agreed to allow her to own all masters going forward. The split seemed amicable, and she thanked her former label's boss, Scott Borchetta, in her announcement.
Following in Prince's footsteps, Swift was determined to effect change in the industry. As part of their contract, UMG agreed to pass on some of its profits from any future sales of Spotify stock to its artists.
June 30, 2019: Borchetta Sells Big Machine Records to Scooter Braun
Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings, backed by the Carlyle Group, acquired Big Machine Label Group for over $300 million. In doing so, he retained Swift's catalog and other artists signed to the label. This included Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, and Lady Antebellum, among others.
June 30, 2019: Taylor Swift Responds on Tumblr
Taylor said she found out about this sale with the rest of the world and had not been given a chance to purchase it. "Instead, I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and 'earn' one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in."
Though she knew Borchetta would eventually sell the label, she said the sale to Scooter Braun was devastating.
"Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words' Scooter Braun' escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did. Controlling a woman who didn't want to be associated with them. In perpetuity. That means forever."
June 30, 2019: Borchetta Responds to Taylor's Tumblr Post
Borchetta said he told all shareholders, including Swift's father, Scott, about the deal on June 25. Most shareholders approved it on June 28. He also mentioned texting Taylor Swift at 9:06 PM on June 29. He wanted her to know before the news broke the next morning.
He added that if she had signed another 10-year contract, Swift’s assets would have been transferred to her. “We were working together on a new type of deal for our new streaming world that was not necessarily tied to 'albums' but more of a length of time."
June 30 through July 2019: Celebs Quickly Take Sides
Other artists quickly began to take sides in the Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun debacle.
Justin Bieber, a client of Braun, posted on Instagram. He apologized for a bullying post he had made regarding the West/Kardashian issue, saying that Braun advised him against making such jokes. He also expressed that both he and Scooter Braun love and admire Taylor Swift and would welcome the chance to sit down with her and discuss the matter.
However, Todrick Hall, a former client of Braun's, said on Twitter that he was "saddened by this news, but not shocked…I know from his own mouth that he is not a Swift fan."
Many other artists began to rally behind Swift, while many (though not all) who had backed Braun were his clients at the time.
July 2, 2019: Taylor Swift's Lawyer Makes a Statement
Don Passman, Swift's attorney, rarely spoke publicly about his artists' deals. He made an exception in this case. "Scott Borchetta never gave Taylor Swift an opportunity to purchase her masters, or the label, outright with a check in the way he is now apparently doing for others."
August 2019: Kelly Clarkson Suggests Re-recording to Taylor
If not for this Tweet by Kelly Clarkson, Taylor may not have gotten her music back at all. Clarkson suggested that Taylor re-record her old songs and create new albums with fresh artwork. And Taylor took that advice.
August 23, 2019: Scooter Braun Tweets About Lover
The day after the release of Swift's album Lover, Braun tweeted it was "brilliant" and that "Supporting was always the healthier option."
August 25, 2019: Taylor Swift Announces "Taylor's Version"
On CBS This Morning, Taylor said she planned to re-record her first six albums.
November 15, 2019: Taylor Claims Borchetta and Braun Banned Her From Performing
The American Music Awards named Swift "Artist of the Decade." Taylor planned to perform a medley of her songs. However, she claimed Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun stopped her. They said she couldn't re-record her music until the next year.
"The message being sent to me is very clear. Basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you'll be punished. This is WRONG. Neither of these men had a hand in the writing of those songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fans. So this is where I'm asking for your help."
November 15, 2019: Braun and Borchetta Trade Jabs with Tree Paine
Unsurprisingly, Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta denied this. They also said Swift owed them millions. Taylor's PR person, Tree Paine, stated Big Machine Records actually owed Swift millions. She also posted alleged proof Big Machine Records had, indeed, refused to allow her to perform. (Like many tweets and other posts from this time, these receipts have been taken down.)
November 18, 2019: Big Machine Says Taylor Can Perform at AMAs
In a statement to Billboard, the company said its artists' performances can be streamed after shows and re-broadcast on approved platforms. It also clarified that "recording artists do not need label approval for live performances on television or any other live media."
November 22, 2019: Scooter Braun Claims To Have Received Death Threats
Scooter Braun published a (since-removed) Instagram post saying he and his family have been receiving death threats. He makes it clear that he doesn't believe this was Taylor's intention.
November 24, 2019: Taylor Swift Performs at the AMAs
December 12, 2019: Taylor Speaks at Billboard's Women in Music Event
In her speech, Taylor Swift highlighted a major issue: private equity taking people's music without consent. She addressed male privilege and expressed her amazement at the support women in music showed her.
“Yet the most amazing thing was to discover that it would be the women in our industry who would have my back and show me the most vocal support at one of the most difficult times, and I will never, ever forget it.”
February 28, 2020: Billboard Says Swift's Albums Have Doubled in Price Since their Sale
The total value of her discography was now over $400 million.
April 23, 2020: Big Machine Records Publishes Live Performances
"Live From Clear Channel Stripped 2008" was an album of a live performance Swift did in 2008, which was allegedly released without her consent. A source told Variety, "This was considered a routine release of material that had already been out publicly and that, despite Swift's well-known feelings about the handling of her catalog, there was no deliberate intention of antagonizing the singer." Prior to this time, only three of the songs had been released in physical format. The other songs people had heard were ripped from the broadcast.
July 24, 2020: "My Tears Ricochet" Becomes First Track to Address The Dispute
Of course, she hasn't confirmed that this song is about the dispute. But if popular belief is true, this is the first time her music has ever mentioned all of this.
November 16, 2020: Scooter Braun Sells Taylor's Masters to Shamrock Holdings
Scooter Braun sold Taylor Swift's masters to an investment company. Swift stated she was not part of this sale and still did not own her masters, though she had attempted to negotiate with Braun to buy them. Instead of facilitating the sale, Braun's team demanded a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This NDA would prevent her from saying anything negative about him in the future.
Shamrock Holdings reached out to Swift's team. They wished to connect with her before the deal. However, Swift tweeted that "Scooter Braun had required that they make no contact with me or my team, or the deal would be off." She didn't negotiate with Shamrock right away because their agreement with Braun allowed him to profit from her music.
Variety reported the sale was over $300 million. This amount is similar to what he paid for all of Big Machine Records but less than its estimated value from February 2020.
April 9, 2021: Fearless (Taylor's Version) is released
Swift released Fearless (Taylor's Version), which became her 8th album to debut at number one – just as the original version had. At the time of its release, it was the only re-recorded album ever to have reached number one.
June 23, 2021: Scooter Braun Does an Interview With Variety
This interview with Scooter Braun, published soon after he announced his retirement from music management, covered his long career. He shared his sadness about Taylor's reaction, claiming her statements were not factual. "I don't know what story she was told."
June 2024: "Completely Moved On"
Taylor Swift's team issued a statement in Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood, saying she "has completely moved on from this saga.” "None of these men will ever be able to take anything away from Taylor's legacy as a songwriter, singer, director, philanthropist and advocate for artists' rights."
May 30, 2025: "Elated and Amazed"
After many years, Taylor Swift regained her masters and all related artwork and videos. She called Shamrock Capital "honest, fair, and respectful." She joked that her first tattoo "might just be a huge shamrock in the middle of [her] forehead."
In her letter about this victory, she talked about the changes it brings to the industry. Swift noted that fans' growing awareness seems to have made a difference.
When she wrote her Tumblr post about all of this way back on June 30, 2019, she signed off with "Sad and grossed out."
This time, Taylor’s letter about her life’s work ended with "Elated and amazed."
Conclusion: Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun Wasn't Just a Feud
Call it a feud, just business, or something else. This battle was not just about two people. It was about the heart of an industry. This industry has long seen fights between artists and businesses over who should profit.
Many artists fought and lost before Swift arrived. Maybe the connected world we live in helped. Musicians can now reach fans directly like never before. Or perhaps people are just tired of the way things are.
No matter what, though, it’s a fight that isn’t over; just this one feud (hopefully) is.
Sources
Bate, E. (2019, July 1). Here are all the celebs who have taken sides in the Taylor Swift/Scooter Braun drama. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/eleanorbate/taylor-swift-scooter-braun-celebrity-reactions
Borchetta, S. (2019, June 30). So it's time for some truth. Big Machine Label Group. https://www.bigmachinelabelgroup.com/so-its-time-some-truth/
Brandle, L. (2019, July 1). Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Sia, Halsey & More weigh in on the Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun situation. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/what-everyone-is-saying-about-taylor-swift-and-scooter-braun-8518149/
Chan, A. & Dailey, H. (2025, May 30). Taylor Swift buys back her masters: read her full letter. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-buys-back-her-masters-letter-1235985835/
Dailey, H. & Spruch, K. (2025, May 30). Taylor Swift & Scooter Braun’s feud: a timeline. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-scooter-braun-feud-timeline
DeSantis, R. & Nelson, J. (2025, May 30). Taylor Swift reveals what owning her masters means for future 'Taylor's Version' albums, including Reputation. People. https://people.com/what-taylor-swift-owning-her-masters-means-for-future-taylors-version-albums-reputation-tv-11745185
Gibson, K. & Comiter, J. (2025, May 30). Inside Taylor Swift’s longtime feud with Scooter Braun — and how she reclaimed her music catalog years after he bought it. People. https://people.com/complete-timeline-of-taylor-swift-scooter-braun-feud-11745352
Halperin, S. (2021, June 23). Scooter Braun speaks: the music mogul on his billion-dollar HYBE deal, making peace with the past and the road ahead. Variety. https://variety.com/2021/music/news/scooter-braun-hybe-taylor-swift-justin-bieber-ariana-grande-1235000658/
Newman, M. (2018, November 19). Taylor Swift leaves Big Machine, signs new label deal with Universal Music. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-leaves-big-machine-signs-new-label-deal-universal-music-8485629/
Richards, B. (2023, June 24). Taylor Swift 'has completely moved on' from Scooter Braun drama, her team says in new Bad Blood docuseries. People. https://people.com/taylor-swift-has-moved-on-from-scooter-braun-drama-bad-blood-documentary-8667913/
Swift, T. (2025, May 30). Taylor Swift official website. https://www.taylorswift.com/
Thatcher, K. (2024, June 20). A complete timeline of the feud between Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun. Elle Australia. https://www.elle.com.au/culture/taylor-swift-scooter-braun-feud-explained/
Universal Music Group. (2018, November 19). Taylor Swift signs exclusive global recording agreement with Universal Music Group. https://www.universalmusic.com/taylor-swift-signs-exclusive-global-recording-agreement-universal-music-group/
William, C. (2020, April 23). Taylor Swift slams ‘unapproved’ live album as ‘tasteless’ cash grab. Variety. https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-live-album-big-machine-scooter-braun-1234588568/
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