Big Machine Records Enters a New Era as Scott Borchetta Departs HYBE America

Big Machine Records, the Nashville label that introduced Taylor Swift to the world nearly two decades ago, is once again entering a period of transition. Founder Scott Borchetta announced Thursday that he is departing HYBE America and reclaiming the Big Machine Records name as he prepares to launch a new independent venture.

The move marks the latest shift in ownership and leadership for a company that has played an outsized role in modern country and pop music. Borchetta founded Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) in 2005, signing a then-unknown teenage songwriter named Taylor Swift as the label’s first artist. Swift’s early success helped establish Big Machine as a formidable presence in Nashville and, eventually, across the broader music industry.

In 2019, Borchetta sold Big Machine Label Group to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings for a reported $300 million. Two years later, in 2021, South Korean entertainment conglomerate HYBE acquired Ithaca Holdings for $1.05 billion, bringing Big Machine under the HYBE umbrella. Following that deal, Borchetta remained in place as CEO of BMLG under HYBE America.

Now, that chapter is closing. While Borchetta is taking the Big Machine Records brand with him, HYBE America will retain several key assets previously associated with BMLG. According to a company press release, HYBE will continue to own the label’s publishing arm, Big Machine Music, along with its distribution arrangements and a substantial portion of the artist roster. Those artists include country mainstays such as Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Midland, Justin Moore, Carly Pearce, Preston Cooper, Jackson Dean, and Mae Estes.

The entity formerly known as Big Machine Label Group within HYBE will operate under a new name, with leadership changes expected to be announced in the coming days. The transition has already prompted speculation within Nashville about who may step into a senior executive role.

In a statement, Isaac Lee, Chairman and CEO of HYBE America, praised Borchetta’s tenure. “Scott has made a lasting mark on the music industry with his sharp eye for talent and his unique vision,” Lee said. “He recently approached us to ask for our support as he works to pursue a new, independent and entrepreneurial stage of his career, working to advance the Big Machine brand separately from HYBE. While we are sad to see Scott go, we understand and want him to pursue his passions, and are grateful for all he did for the company.”

Lee added that HYBE America remains committed to expanding its footprint in Nashville and across the U.S. market, promising further announcements regarding the company’s future direction.

Borchetta, for his part, framed the separation as amicable and forward-looking. “I am incredibly appreciative of my partnership with HYBE over these last five years,” he said. “Chairman Bang often talks of his fondness for entrepreneurs and he, Isaac, and the HYBE leadership team have extended that belief with this incredible showing of support by allowing me to continue to build upon my vision of the Big Machine Records brand.”

The label’s history has been closely intertwined with Swift’s career, particularly amid the highly publicized dispute over ownership of her master recordings. After Borchetta sold Big Machine to Ithaca Holdings in 2019, Swift objected to the sale of her masters to Braun. The catalog was later sold to Shamrock Capital in late 2020. In May 2025, Swift announced she had regained ownership of her master recordings, bringing that saga to a close.

Borchetta originally launched Big Machine as a joint venture in 2005 alongside Toby Keith’s Show Dog Nashville. Nearly twenty years later, the brand is once again being repositioned, this time as part of a new independent endeavor under its founder’s direction.