AMAs Producer Denies Big Machine Agreement, Says Label Needs to Contact Taylor Swift
***UPDATE: November 19, 2019—3:45 p.m. ET:*** In a confusing turn of events, Dick Clark Productions has released a statement via Variety, denying that they reached an agreement with Big Machine to allow Taylor Swift to perform her old music catalogue at the 2019 American Music Awards on Sunday (November 24).
In fact, the production company, which produces the award show, insists Big Machine must strike a deal directly with the singer's management.
“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," they wrote. "Any final agreement on this matter needs to be made directly with Taylor Swift’s management team. We have no further comment.”
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Taylor Swift will be allowed to perform her old songs at this year's American Music Awards, according to Variety.
On Monday (November 18), the website reported the "Lover" singer's former label, Big Machine, and Dick Clark Productions have come to a licensing agreement that will allow her to use music from her past albums after all.
Big Machine released the following statement:
“The Big Machine Label Group and Dick Clark Productions announce 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," it reads, not mentioning Swift by name specifically.
The company continued, "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."
As previously reported, the pop star published an open letter last week claiming Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta have blocked her from using music from her previous albums. In it, she claimed Borchetta said her 2019 AMAs performance would only be cleared if she agreed not to re-record her masters.
At of right now, Swift has yet to respond to the statement. It's also unclear if she will also have access to her old music for her upcoming Netflix documentary, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.