Taylor Swift Calls Out Shameless Greed in Unapproved Live Album Release
Taylor Swift recently found herself at odds with her former record label, Big Machine, over the unauthorized release of a live album from her early days as an artist. Swift took to social media to express her displeasure, accusing Big Machine of displaying “shameless greed” by releasing “Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008” without her approval.
In a scathing Instagram post, Swift called out Scooter Braun, the individual investors behind Big Machine’s acquisition, and labeled the move as a desperate attempt to recoup the alleged overpayment for her music catalog. She criticized the release as a blatant display of greed, especially during the current global pandemic.
Despite Swift’s objections, Big Machine chose to move forward with the release, stating that the material had already been publicly available and that there was no malicious intent behind it. The label maintains that they have the right to release previously unheard tracks from Swift’s catalog, although there are no immediate plans to do so.
The live album in question, “Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008,” contains recordings from a radio show performance Swift did when she was 18 years old. While some of the songs have seen limited releases in physical form through various mediums over the years, this marks the first time they have been compiled into an album format.
Curiously, the album was dated as a 2017 release by Big Machine, despite no official record of its availability during that year. Speculations suggest that the backdated year was an attempt to avoid overshadowing Swift’s subsequent album releases under her new Universal Music deal.
Although the live album was not immediately available for streaming following the announcement, placeholder listings appeared on digital platforms like Spotify, allowing fans to anticipate its official release in the coming hours.
Despite the controversy surrounding the live album, it remains to be seen how this conflict between Taylor Swift and Big Machine will unfold in the days to come. Swift’s passionate defense of her creative rights and artistic control is a testament to her unwavering commitment to her music and her fans. As the saga continues to unfold, fans can expect to see Swift taking a stand against any perceived injustices in the music industry.
