Big Machine Records

**This is REPTV's page. Do not vandalize this page EVER. You may edit this page to your liking.**

## Big Machine Records

### Genre

County Pop Rock

**Big Machine Records** is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by former DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta and became a joint venture between Borchetta and country singer Toby Keith. The company concentrates on publishing, management, and merchandising and oversees imprints, such as Valory Music, that are part of the Big Machine Label Group. The purchase of Big Machine Records by Scooter Braun's company, Ithaca Holdings in 2019 resulted in a highly publicized dispute and controversy with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift regarding the ownership of the masters to her albums for the label. In August 2023, it was reported that some artists terminated their respective management contracts with Ithaca in protest.

## History

Big Machine Records was founded by Scott Borchetta, a former punk rock bass guitar player who had worked in the mailroom of his father Mike's music company and became a promotions staff member in 1991 for Universal Music Group's MCA Records. According to *Bloomberg Businessweek*, Borchetta was an "involved manager" at MCA, "choosing singles and dispensing advice." After he was fired from MCA in 1997, Borchetta accepted a role at the Nashville division of DreamWorks Records, but later decided to start his own label after Universal acquired the division. Before he left DreamWorks, Borchetta approached Taylor Swift and her family after the musician performed at the Bluebird Café in Nashville, Tennessee after first meeting her in 2004. At the time, Borchetta had no infrastructure or financing. He made an offer to Swift and her parents, whereby he would recruit her to the new label's roster after it was established. Swift eventually recontacted Borchetta around two weeks later, telling him: "I'm waiting for you."

He formed the label in 2005, naming it "Big Machine" after a 2004 song by the band Velvet Revolver. The first signees to Big Machine were Jack Ingram and Danielle Peck. Big Machine's first album release was Ingram's *Live: Wherever You Are*, a re-release of a live album he had previously issued independently in 2004. The album features two new studio tracks, "Wherever You Are" and "Love You", both of which were released as singles. In mid-2006, "Wherever You Are" off this album reached number one on *Billboard* Hot Country Songs, thus becoming the label's first single to top that chart.

Soon after, Big Machine released Swift's first ever recording, the single "Tim McGraw" and her debut album *Taylor Swift*. Keith dropped his affiliation with the label in 2006, but he was reported as an equity holder in November 2014, alongside the Swift family and Borchetta (the latter reportedly owning 60 percent of the company at the time). In October 2012, Borchetta told *Rolling Stone* magazine: "[Taylor Swift's father] Scott Swift owns three percent of Big Machine."

By March 2009, Big Machine artist Danielle Peck had left the label. The departure occurred during a downturn period for the overall U.S. music industry.

In February 2010, Swift won four Grammys—including Album of the Year (*Fearless*), Best Country Album (*Fearless*), Best Country Song ("White Horse"), and Best Female Country Vocal Performance ("White Horse")—becoming the first Big Machine artist to win a Grammy Award.

Borchetta signed a deal with Clear Channel—which later changed its name to iHeartMedia—in 2012 that ensures payment for Big Machine artists from terrestrial and digital radio airplay. Three years after the deal was signed, Borchetta said that the revenue streams were "very meaningful."

In November 2014, Borchetta denied a claim that he was looking to sell Big Machine for $200 million following the release of Swift's then-upcoming fifth studio album *1989*: "Every time we have a Taylor [Swift] record, they're like, 'Oh, he's selling the company.'" Borchetta did not, however, rule out a future change of ownership, stating that "the business is changing so quickly, and if I see a strategic opportunity that's going to be better for our artists and executives, it's going to be a serious conversation." Following the release of *1989*, Swift's contract with Big Machine obliged her to produce one more full-length album for the label.

The Zac Brown Band announced on January 12, 2015, that it had finalized a four-way strategic partnership involving the Southern Ground Artists record label, Big Machine Label Group, Republic Records and John Varvatos Records for the release of its fourth studio album. The terms of the deal stated that Zac Brown Band would work with Big Machine Label Group for marketing and distribution, while Southern Ground Artists would work on radio promotion, Republic provided support in the area of non-country radio formats and international promotion, and Varvatos oversaw branding and styling.

In a February 2015 interview, Borchetta refused to comment on the status of the label's distribution deal with Universal Music Group (UMG), which was up for renegotiation at the time. He confirmed that the label would release the next *American Idol* album, in partnership with 19 Entertainment and UMG—Borchetta would be one of the mentors on the reality program's next series. Borchetta also disclosed that Swift agreed to the withdrawal of her catalog from Spotify after he first suggested the idea to her, and that he would remove the music of all Big Machine artists if it was within his power.

In May 2017, the label branched out into the alcoholic beverage industry by launching Big Machine Vodka, a premium brand distilled in Lynnville, Tennessee. Borchetta described the new venture as "perfectly [complementing] the music we take such great pride in".

In November 2017, Swift released her sixth studio album *Reputation*, her last album released under Big Machine. After this album, Swift refused to renew her contract with the label. She eventually[*when?*] stayed with Universal Music Group, Big Machine's distributor, and on November 19, 2018, after her contract with had Big Machine expired, Swift signed with Republic Records, under a deal in which she would maintain ownership of her master recordings going forward.