What is Big Machine Red by Taylor Swift?
"Big Machine Red" is a song by Taylor Swift that was never officially released, but leaked online in August 2023. The song is speculated to be an outtake from her album "Red (Taylor's Version)" which Taylor re-recorded and released in November 2023 after her former label, Big Machine Records, owned by Scooter Braun, sold the rights to her earlier music without her consent.
The song starts with a guitar riff that builds up to a powerful chorus where Taylor declares that she's not going down without a fight. The lyrics talk about how she's been wronged by a big machine, presumably referring to Big Machine Records. Despite the challenges she's faced, the song's protagonist stands her ground and refuses to give up.
The verses highlight the emotional toll of the situation, with Taylor singing about feeling helpless and lost at times. However, the chorus serves as a reminder that she's not alone in the fight, with powerful and inspiring lyrics that uplift the listener.
The song has been praised by fans for its catchy melody and empowering lyrics. Many have speculated that the song was left off the standard edition of "Red (Taylor's Version)" because it didn't fit the album's overall narrative, which focuses on the themes of love, heartbreak, and growth. However, fans are grateful for the release of the song and what it represents for Taylor's autonomy over her music.
Overall, "Big Machine Red" is a powerful anthem that showcases Taylor Swift's resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Frequently Asked Questions about big machine red by taylor swift
Following Scooter's acquisition of Big Machine, the record label (and Scooter) would not allow Taylor to perform any songs from her first six albums at the 2019 American Music Awards, where she received Artist of the Decade. She was also unable to use any older material for her 2020 documentary, “Miss Americana”.
Musically and lyrically, Red resembled a heartbroken person. It was all over the place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end. Happy, free, confused, lonely, devastated, euphoric, wild, and tortured by memories past.
In June 2019, a man named Scooter Braun purchased Big Machine Records for $300million, which included the masters of the first six of Taylor's albums. Taylor alleged that Scooter Braun had bullied and manipulated her for years, including through his client Kanye West's release of the song Famous.
Taylor Swift's Red and its reissue Red (Taylor's Version) realign the goals of pop music, making an album's perceived imperfections the new standard. Since Red, Swift has not only crossed over to pop, but experimental electronic, indie pop, and then back to mainstream pop again.
In her June 2019 Tumblr blog, Swift said: “I walked away [from the alleged Big Machine offer that would enable her to 'earn' back her albums] because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future.”
Taking into account the total number of dates, the artist will earn approximately $11 million per concert, plus whatever is sold in merchandise. However, profits are distributed between Swift and her team, including the concert's promoter and other production expenses.
In the short film, Sadie Sink wears a red scarf. "The scarf is a metaphor," Swift told a panel audience at the event, "and we turned it red because red is a very important color in this album, which is called Red." She continued, drawing laughs, "And, I think when I say it's a metaphor, I'm just going to stop."
Taylor's Version has a higher energy score and higher loudness, but lower acousticness. One example of this is in the second pre-chorus. There are additional instruments in the background (most noticeably a cello), adding more fullness to Taylor's Version.
Consequently, Big Machine and Swift were embroiled in a series of disagreements leading to further friction; Swift alleged that the label blocked her from using her music for the 2019 American Music Awards and her documentary Miss Americana (2020), while Big Machine released Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008 (2020) ...
In a nutshell, Taylor left Big Machine Records (where she recorded her first six albums), then Scooter Braun acquired them, which means he's now in control of most of her work. Taylor was NOT happy about that, especially since she had been trying to buy back her own masters herself.
When Red was released, it was the epitome of Swift being at a crossroads. Swift was just 16 when she shared her eponymous debut, while Red came out when she was 22 - she was an artist on the cusp of adulthood, grappling with leaving her teen years behind.
Her favorite color is purple.... She mentioned at the Ellen's show!
