That Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun feud continues dredging up memories

taylor swift versus scooter braun over music controversy 2019 images

In today’s world, attention spans have the life of an adult Mayfly, but in the case of Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun, this controversy refuses to go away. Its been over a week now which is a record when it comes to internet feuds. Even Swifts feud with Katy Perry ebbed and flowed for years, but was nearly forgotten until the two came back together again this year.

Lily Allen kept things alive with her Instagram support going against Big Machine label boss Scooter Braun. Posting on Instagram over the weekend, Allen wrote:

“So, this week we had Taylor Swift expose a pretty brutal side of the music industry, some middle aged multi millionaire white dudes doing what they do best, controlling, belittling and humiliating the very people that they couldn’t do without.”

Lily Allen, Instagram

She then went on to praise Kate Nash’s 2018 show ‘Underestimate The Girl’, which is about her own experiences of sexism in the music industry.

lily allen instagram support for taylor swift

“Now, our very own Kate Nash has done something spectacular here, I think consumers have little to no idea how hard it is to survive in the industry today, please please please if youre lost for things to do this weekend, please watch this,” Allen wrote. “It’s a real eye-opener. MUSICIANS WORLDWIDE I BEG WE START A PROPER UNION THAT ACTUALLY WORKS, we need to change this system. POWER IS NEVER GIVEN, IT HAS TO BE TAKEN.”

John Fogerty

Even musician John Fogerty has jumped into the debate as he discussed the struggle had winning his Creedance Clearwater Revival publishing rights. He even offered some advice:

I wouldn’t stop singing the songs. That’s something I did, and I don’t advise that. That really harmed my career. That’s something I learned. But I did it for me, you know. That was a point of self-pride and dignity, I guess, and that’s why I did that. I did the best I could with the hand I was dealt.

But I would say that she seems, especially in this world of social media, I’m quite certain that 99% of her fans are on her side. The main thing is to have a support group. It’s horrible to have to do this alone. Especially because the name-calling starts, and when people run out of the truth, they start trying to attack your character. I think my advice would be to keep doing what you’re doing. I think her fans want her to stick up for herself, because she always has. … I’m sure she could have raised the money to have this happen. It sounds pretty spiteful that Scott (Borchetta) wanted to sell the label to her only real enemy, as far as I know. He was the manager of Kanye, and Kanye did some pretty dreadful things publicly to Taylor.

He also shared advice on processing the anger Swift is obviously feeling right now.

Yeah, you’re very angry inside. It’s like somebody twisting the knife every day. That’s probably why I felt so empty when I first heard the news. And I’m not smart enough to know what her way out is. It would be great if people kind of outside of her circle maybe decided to help. I went to Bill Graham. I thought that he would be a fair witness, like in the old “Stranger in a Strange Land” book — a person that would be respected by both sides and could figure out the answer. But sadly, that didn’t work out either.

Good people think, “Wow, these two neighbors are just screaming at each other every single day. The rest of us should get together and figure out a way to mediate.” Perhaps her lawyer can get some people to actually get in there and meditate and try to actually find a solution for the right reason — because it’s the right thing to do. [Laughs.] I’ve just said something so blazingly unknown to the music business, but it’s the way us normal people think.

taylor swift recent feuds before scooter braun
Taylor Swift famous feuds prior to Scooter Braun include Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and Nicky Minaj

How Things Got Started

Taylor Swift’s feuds can captivate the public almost as much as her music, and her latest emotional salvo against one of music’s top managers not only made headlines but got key players in the industry riled up, with the likes of Justin Bieber, Halsey, and Demi Lovato publicly choosing sides as accusations and insults were posted furiously on social media.

But even a week after the storm, experts say Swift and Scooter Braun, who manages Bieber and Ariana Grande and now owns Swift’s masters, will have to find a way to work together — both to preserve Swift’s rich musical legacy but also make money and do good business.

“Whether anyone likes it or not, Scooter Braun just became one of Taylor Swift’s most important business partners (and) these are people that need to work with each other now,” said Bill Werde, former editorial director of Billboard and director of the Bandier program for recorded and entertainment industries at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

″(Scooter) wants her to continue to be the biggest star in the world for as long as possible because that’s how he’s going to get the best return on his investment,” Werde continued. “I think that in the not too distant future you’re going to see … things get better. You know, you’re going to see some olive branches.”

taylor swift scoot braun support chart feud
Who supports who in Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun battle

On Sunday, Braun’s Ithaca Holdings announced that it acquired Big Machine Label Group, the label which is led by Scott Borchetta and home to Swift’s first six albums, including the Grammy winners for album of the year, 2008′s “Fearless” and 2014′s “1989.” Swift said in November she signed with Universal Music Group instead of staying at Big Machine because she knew that re-signing with the label would only result in her not owning her future work.

Once the news broke, Swift penned a scathing Tumblr note, saying she was sad and grossed out that her music catalog now belongs to Braun.

“When I left my masters in Scott’s hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually he would sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter,” she said her post. “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.”

“When Taylor decided to make a deal for future records someplace else, she … certainly knew that Big Machine would be sold probably sooner than later,” said Larry Miller, the director of the music business program at New York University’s Steinhardt school. “It’s unfortunate that she feels the way that she does about the place that her catalog is now going to live.”

But what seemed to first be about music ownership and artists’ rights turned into dramatic theater, as Swift also wrote about her clashes with Kim Kardashian and West, and claimed she didn’t know about the sale of her catalog until the news was announced Sunday. The social media showdown played out throughout the day, with Borchetta providing details of the text he says he sent to Swift about the deal the night before it was announced. He even shared screenshots of a contract between the two of them discussing a possible new deal that would also allow her to own all her masters.

Braun’s wife and his clients including Lovato and Bieber showed him support, while Halsey, Todrick Hall, model-actress Cara Delevingne and music video director Joseph Khan were #TeamTaylor. Even country singer Kacey Musgraves jumped in the ring by liking the Instagram post by Braun’s wife.

It marked another saga in the drama of Swift, who has had a number of public feuds, from former boyfriend Calvin Harris to Katy Perry (who made up with Swift and recently appeared in her latest video, “You Need to Calm Down”).

“I think Taylor, who has led many discussions about what is good for artists in the music business, had an opportunity to lead another one here about control and ownership of your own songs as an artist. But I think she kind of muddled matters by combining this with what felt like a personal vendetta,” Werde said. “Now we’re all talking about which pop star took whose side.”

Swift will release a new album called “Lover” on Aug. 23. Miller said he expects things to work out in the future regarding her catalog.

“About four years ago maybe there was a big Taylor Swift dust up around the launch of Apple Music, right? … and I’m pretty sure they found a way to work together,” Miller said, referencing Swift’s 2015 public letter explaining why she was pulling her songs over Apple Music over payments to artists; Apple agreed with Swift’s stance and they’ve worked together ever since.

“Big Machine under its new ownership with Ithaca Holdings, and Taylor and her team … will find to do what’s right for her and for her catalog.”