Scooter Braun ‘never understood’ feud with Taylor Swift over music rights

Scooter Braun has revealed he “never understood” why the sale of Taylor Swift’s masters turned into huge controversy.

Braun purchased the record company that Swift was signed to for the majority of her career – at the time – Big Machine Records, in 2019.

It came one year after Swift left the record label, which owned all of her albums, songs and masters from 2005 to 2018.

“[I] went from being like, loved and appreciated for over a decade to literally a villain the next night,” Braun told the Second Thought Podcast.

“I don’t want to go into that, but I will say something that will really sum it up that I don’t know if I’ve ever really said.

“I don’t know Taylor Swift. I think I’ve met her in my life three times. I have never had a substantial conversation with her in my life.”

At the time of the sale, The Fate of Ophelia singer took to Tumblr to detail her frustration over the sale, publishing a personal letter explaining that the masters were sold without her knowledge, and without being presented the chance to buy them herself.

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Swift also said the CEO of Big Machine Records, Scott Borchetta, knew that Swift did not like Braun.

Braun continued, saying he bought her catalogue because he wanted to work with her.

“You don’t spend $300 million buying a label that she’s on unless you’re excited at the opportunity to work with her,” he said.

“I will never truly understand that situation. To this day, I wish her nothing but the best.”

He added that there’s a misunderstanding online that he had known her for years.

“I think there’s this big misconception that, like, we knew each other and we had this feud and I managed her for years,” he added.

“People are usually shocked to find out that I legitimately don’t know her and didn’t have many interactions with her and never really knew her.

“I think I spoke to her, really, once for like more than two minutes. But it was a very nice conversation. And beyond that, nothing ever.”

He added that while he remains “confused” about the situation, he “learned a tremendous amount from it.”

“I chose to grow from it. I’m grateful for it at this point in my life.”

Braun later sold the catalogue to a private equity firm called Shamrock Capital.

The $US300 million sale of her masters to Braun sparked massive backlash from Swift herself, as well as millions of Taylor Swift fans, and other artists, who said every musician deserves the right to own their music.

It led A-list artists like Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry and Cher to publicly back Swift.

The singer famously re-recorded her albums and sell them as “Taylor’s Version”, which fans wholeheartedly threw their support behind.

Thanks to the success of her re-recorded albums and her record-breaking Eras Tour, Swift was able to purchase her masters back in 2025.