Scott Borchetta has officially reacquired the Big Machine Records brand, stepping down as CEO of Big Machine Label Group under HYBE America to relaunch the label as an independent company. The move comes nearly five years after HYBE acquired the group through its purchase of Ithaca Holdings.
The split is structured as a strategic uncoupling, not a full buyout. Borchetta regains control of the Big Machine name and logo, while HYBE America keeps most of the core assets. That includes the label’s extensive back catalog, featuring the rights to Taylor Swift’s first six albums, as well as Big Machine Music and its global distribution network.
The artist roster has been divided. Thomas Rhett, Carly Pearce, Midland, and Justin Moore remain with the HYBE-owned Nashville operation, which will soon adopt a new name. Meanwhile, Riley Green joins Borchetta’s independent venture under Nashville Harbor Records, alongside Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Lady A, Mackenzie Carpenter, and The Band Perry.
The relaunch signals a return to founder-led independence for Borchetta, who originally started the label in 2005.