Taylor Swift is calling out her former label Big Machine Records’ alleged next move as ‘shameless’ and ‘tasteless’. According to multiple sources, Swift was hinted by fans that her former label is making plans of releasing a put together album of her live performances in 2008.
Responding to the news, Swift took to her Instagram story to slam the label’s big guy Scooter Braun and other top individuals she believes are part of the ploy to sell her music without her consent.
The respond read, “Hey guys – I want to thank my fans for making me aware that my former record label is putting out an ‘album’ of live performances of mine tonight. This recording is from a 2008 radio show performance I did when I was 18. Big Machine has listed the date as a 2017 release but they are actually releasing it tonight at midnight,” Taylor revealed.
“I’m always honest with you guys about this stuff so I just wanted to tell you that this release is not approved by me. It looks to me like Scooter Braun and his financial backers, 23 Capital, Alex Soros and the Soros family and The Carlyle Group have seen the latest balance sheets and realized that paying $330 MILLION for my music wasn’t exactly a wise choice and they need money,” she added.
“In my opinion… Just another case of shameless greed in the time of Coronavirus,” she continued. “So tasteless, but very transparent.” According to Variety, Insiders with knowledge of the thinking at the label camp say 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.
Variety also gathers that, although the disputed live album remained unavailable for streaming Thursday, a search on Spotify and other services did reveal placeholder listings for fans to “save” the album before it becomes available in the morning hours of Friday.
Swift and her former label have not been at the very best of a good relationship since their split. In June 2019, the ‘Lover’ singer accused Braun and the label of preventing her from performing tracks from her old music at the American music Awards and also using some footage from her past live performances in her recently released Netflix documentary Miss Americana.
The label is yet to comment on the allegation.
By: Larry Adams
