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Scooter Braun is Really Sticking it to Taylor Swift, Blocking her AMAs Performance

My regular readers will have probably realized I’m not a fan of Taylor Swift. I don’t like her music, I don’t like her personality, I don’t like her face, she just has no redeeming qualities to me at all.

So I would love to take Scooter Braun’s side in what is yet another very public feud Taylor Swift is having with someone, and it pains me to actually be on her side.

Basically, what happened is Braun is a rich asshole who bought all of Swift’s back catalogue by purchasing the record label she was at when she recorded them. Swift still owns the songs, Braun just owns the recordings she made for the albums she’s released. Music IP rights are complicated because the song and the performance are separate copyrights.

Now what Braun has done, which even I think is going to far, is moving to block Swift from performing at the American Music Awards, where she’s being honored as Performer of the Decade.

Swift broke the news by posting about it on Twitter.

Guys – It’s been announced recently that the American Music Awards will be honoring me with the Artist of the Decade Award at this year’s ceremony. I’ve been planning to perform a medley of my hits throughout the decade on the show. 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. Additionally – and this isn’t the way I had planned on telling you this news – Netflix has created a documentary about my life for the past few 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 the film.

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.

I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate. 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.

Please let Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun know how you feel about this. Scooter also manages several artists who I really believe care about other artists and their work. Please ask them for help with this – I’m hoping that maybe they can talk some sense into the men who are exercising tyrannical control over someone who just wants to play the music she wrote. I’m especially asking for help from The Carlyle Group, who put up money for the sale of my music to these two men.

I just want to be able to perform MY OWN music. That’s it. I’ve tried to work this out privately through my team but have not been able to resolve anything. Right now my performance at the AMA’s, the Netflix documentary and any other recorded events I am planning to play until November of 2020 are a question mark. I love you guys and I thought you should know what’s been going on.

Taylor

It’s Braun and Borchetta’s claim that performing at an awards show constitutes a new recording of Swift’s songs, which she can’t do until next year for some arcane legal reason, that I think is over the line.

I think wanting Taylor Swift to shut up about you is reasonable, I’m sure most of her exes feel the same way. But just let her perform at the AMAs and let her use her music in the Netflix movie for a reasonable licensing fee.

If nothing else, you’re losing a PR war with Taylor Swift. Kanye West didn’t even do that and he made her cry when she just a kid and no one knew she was a spiteful asshole yet.

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Cyril
Cyril
3 years ago

Aaand she has started recording this month!