Taylor Swift eviscerates her ‘shamelessly greedy’ old label for releasing a new live album without her permission
The album, titled Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008, features live performances from a 12-year-old radio show Taylor Swift performed at. (YouTube)
Taylor Swift has lashed out at her “shamelessly greedy” old record label for releasing a new live album without her permission.
The album, titled Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008, features live performances from a 12-year-old radio show Swift performed at.
The singer hit out at her old record label Big Machine Records over the unauthorised release in her Instagram stories on April 23.
“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,” Swift wrote.
“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’re actually releasing it tonight at midnight.”
Taylor Swift: ‘This release is not approved by me.’
She continued: “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.”
Swift then hit out at Scooter Braun, who she had a public feud with last year when he purchased Big Machine records, along with the rights to her entire back catalogue.
She alleged that the album release showed that Braun had “seen the latest balance sheets and realised that paying $330 MILLION for my music wasn’t exactly a wise choice and they need the money”.
“In my opinion… Just another case of shameless greed in the time of coronavirus. So tasteless, but very transparent.”
Swift left Big Machine Records in November 2018 and later claimed that she had been denied the chance to own the masters to her records.
The singer has been feuding with Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun since last year.
She has been feuding with Scott Borchetta since June of last year, when it was announced that he had sold the label – and with it, her back catalogue – to Braun as part of a $300 million deal.
Swift said that she had been subjected to “incessant, manipulative bullying” at Braun’s hands “for years”, and called the situation a “worst nightmare”.
The feud went up a gear last November when Swift accused Borchetta and Braun of blocking her from performing a medley of her biggest hits at the American Music Awards (AMAs).
In a statement, Borchetta refuted Swift’s claims and accused her of “owing millions of dollars and multiple assets to our company”.
Swift ultimately went on to perform the medley at the awards ceremony.
Borchetta and Braun have not yet responded to the controversy.
