Taylor Swift’s former record label Big Machine Records released a statement earlier today that the singer is now allowed to perform her old songs at the upcoming American Music Awards. Speaking with NPR, the label stated “The Big Machine Label Group and Dick Clark Productions announced that they have come to terms on a licensing agreement that approves their artists’ performances to stream post-show and for re-broadcast on mutually approved platforms. This includes the upcoming American Music Awards performances. It should be noted that recording artists do not need label approval for live performances on television or any other live media. Record label approval is only needed for contracted artists’ audio and visual recordings and in determining how those works are distributed.”
Since this statement, Dick Clark Productions released their own statement, denying their involvement with the agreement according to Rolling Stone. “At no time did Dick Clark Productions agree to create, authorize or distribute a statement in partnership with Big Machine Label Group regarding Taylor Swift’s performance at the 2019 American Music Awards. Any final agreement on this matter needs to be made directly with Taylor Swift’s management team. We have no further comment.”
Just this past week, Swift took to social media stating her frustration of not being able to perform her own songs, accusing Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta of preventing her to do so. Braun and Borchetta responded back saying that “At no point did we say Taylor could not perform on the AMAs or block her Netflix special. In fact, we do not have the right to keep her from performing live anywhere. ” They followed with “continued to honor all of her requests to license her catalog to third parties as she promotes her current record in which we do not financially participate.”