Big Machine Records

Big Machine Records was founded in September 2005 by Scott Borchetta, a former DreamWorks Records executive, with financial backing from country star Toby Keith, who provided office space on Music Row in Nashville. The label's first signing was a 15-year-old Taylor Swift, whose self-titled debut album in 2006 launched both her career and the label's reputation. Over the next decade, Big Machine became a dominant force in country music, signing acts like Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Florida Georgia Line, and Thomas Rhett. The label operates under the Big Machine Label Group umbrella, which includes imprints such as The Valory Music Co., Dot Records, and Nash Icon.

In June 2019, Borchetta sold Big Machine Label Group to Ithaca Holdings, owned by music manager Scooter Braun, in a deal valued at over $300 million. The sale sparked a highly publicized feud with Taylor Swift, who claimed she was not given a chance to buy her master recordings and accused Braun of bullying. Swift began re-recording her first six albums as the Taylor's Version series to devalue the originals. In 2020, Big Machine released a live album without Swift's approval, which she called shameless greed. The label also faced criticism for allegedly blocking artists from performing old songs on television.

In September 2023, Borchetta stepped down as CEO, becoming Chairman of the Board, and Jimmy Harnen, a former Sony Music Nashville executive, was appointed President and CEO. Big Machine continues to operate as a major independent label, signing new artists like Mackenzie Carpenter in 2024 and maintaining a distribution deal with Universal Music Group. In November 2023, the label partnered with Disney Music Group for physical distribution and sync licensing. The following year, Borchetta's non-compete clause expired and he launched Borchetta Music Group, a new competitive venture.[edit]