A new two-part docuseries available on Max this weekend dives deep into a spat between two of the modern music industry’s most polarizing figures — Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun — in an attempt to explain why Swift decided several years ago to re-record her first six albums.
Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood debuts on Max on June 21, with the two hour-long episodes following a “vs.” format. One episode will focus on Swift’s side of the story, while the other will examine the situation from Braun’s perspective. The central story is the sequence of events that led Swift to re-record her first six albums in order to maintain full control of those new masters, thus diminishing the value of her old masters that she claims were sold against her will.
Braun, a controversial music industry impresario even separate from his entanglement with Swift, maintained that his business deal was simply a straightforward acquisition of Swift’s old music label, which included her masters. His side contends that Swift had an opportunity to purchase her masters but chose to cast herself as a victim and turn the situation into a personal attack when it was a label acquisition — the kind of business transaction that happens all the time.
The docuseries will premiere on Discovery+ in the UK and globally on Max on June 21 at 3:01 am ET and 12:01 am PT.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s announcement promises that viewers will be taken on “a comprehensive examination of the feud — exploring the intricacies of music ownership, gender dynamics in the industry and the power of fan influence, while delving into the two polarized sides of the dispute allowing them to form their own opinion.”
Adds WBD president Charlotte Reid: “Taylor Swift’s dispute with Scooter Braun over the ownership of her music exploded into the mainstream, taking contract law from boardroom to social media and into public interest. It’s a high-profile, high-interest story that opened debate on fandom and dominated headlines, one which will resonate with our viewers who are highly engaged with access-led documentaries like ‘vs’, which continues to be a popular format on Discovery+.”
