An upcoming Discovery+ documentary, Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood, will explore the personal and legal dramas at the heart of the highly publicized rift between Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun.
In 2019, Braun, who is currently the CEO of the American branch of HYBE Corporation, forever changed the music industry when he purchased Big Machine Records from Scott Borchetta, becoming the owner of not just the label, but also the masters of Swift's first six albums. Swift claimed that she did not know that Braun would have control of her catalog, leading her to eventually re-record her albums as a means of reclaiming her work.
So far, Swift has released a "Taylor's Version" of Fearless, Speak Now, Red and 1989. The albums have broken sales records and garnered massive critical acclaim throughout their respective rollouts. She has released three additional, brand new albums (folklore, evermore, The Tortured Poets Department) since signing with Republic Records in 2018. Braun sold the original Swift masters to Shamrock Holdings in 2020 for a staggering $405 million. He later sold his entire holdings company, Ithaca, to HYBE.
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Braun's $330 million purchase of Big Machine Records as well as the mysterious, rumor-filled "before" and explosive, fiery aftermath of his decision will go under the microscope in Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun. The documentary is set to explore both sides of the industry giants' arguments. Swift maintains that she was entirely left out of the conversation to purchase her masters prior to the sale of Big Machine Records. Braun, meanwhile, argues that Swift avoided any behind-the-scenes negotiations and willingly opted for the public quarrel.
The two-part documentary will feature friends and associates of both Swift and Braun, Billboard reports. The saga will also include lawyers and legal experts, journalists and other industry insiders to better understand the technicalities of the situation. Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun is set to explore how gender dynamics, the power of fandom, and artist rights played into the conflict and the public discourse surrounding it.
Charlotte Reid, Vice President of Commissioning, Networks & Streaming at WBD U.K. & Ireland, spoke on the divisive moment in the music industry. She referred to the ordeal as "a high-profile, high-interest story that opened debate on fandom and dominated headlines." She also noted that the masters debacle took "contract law from boardroom to social media and into public interest."
The documentary, produced by Optomen, is the fourth in Discovery's Vs series. The series previously covered Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's divorce (Kim vs Kanye: The Divorce), Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's legal battles (Johnny Vs Amber: The US Trial) and Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy's defamation suit (Vardy vs Rooney: The Wagatha Trial.)
Taylor Swift Vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood is set to release in June on Discovery+.
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