In a dramatic turn of events, music industry mogul Scott Samuel (Scooter) Braun took to Instagram, announcing his retirement from artist management. This announcement comes on the heels of a public split with Ariana Grande and Bieber, who had been under Braun’s wing for nearly his entire career. 

Scooter Braun speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center
Scooter Braun speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center | Wikimedia/TechCrunch

While the official reason for Braun’s departure is to focus on his family and CEO role at HYBE America, many see this move as a response to mounting controversies, including his infamous acquisition of Taylor Swift’s master recordings in 2018. What’s the truth, though? Why is Scooter Braun departing after such a successful career? 

Swifties Rejoice: Braun’s Exit Coincides with Years of Client Departures

Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun during a concert at the Allstatae Arena in Rosemont, Illinois (2015)
Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun during a concert at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois (2015) | Wikimedia/Lou Stejskal

After at least two years of unofficial hiatus from managing high-profile musicians like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, Scooter Braun finally revealed in an IG post that to devote more time to his family and role as CEO of HYBE America (perhaps retreating into the shadow after what unfolded), he’s stepping back from being a manager. Check out the post below:

 

From working with Justin Bieber in the late 2000s and numerous other artists, Braun emerged as one of the music industry’s most prosperous and driven execs. After at least two years of whispers regarding a possible A-list clientele departure, Braun finally made his declaration. AND Taylor Swift fans were—well, really happy about that!

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But why are the Swifties happy about Braun’s exit? Beyond being a pop star manager, Braun’s prominence also stemmed from his contentious 2018 acquisition of Taylor Swift’s master recordings. This led the Cruel Summer singer to re-record her albums and reclaim her creative control. Later, Scooter sold her master back library for almost $300 million. 

Consequently, reactions on social media emerged with remarks like “He can’t steal money no more” to more snarky comments like “Give Taylor Swift back her music,” and “The world is healing,” expressing what others feel about the situation.

Whether this is Braun’s sincere wish for a more straightforward life or a calculated move in response to a shifting clientele, one thing’s certain: the landscape of the music industry has become a little less spectacular. Is a new era of love, peace, and understanding about to begin? Time will tell, but for now, it appears that everyone can exhale in relief and that Swifties have achieved a minor triumph.

Scooter Braun’s Career Faces Scrutiny After Client Losses

Scooter Braun on stage at Tech Crunch Disrupt in 2010. TCDisrupt
Scooter Braun on stage at Tech Crunch Disrupt in 2010 | Wikimedia/TCDisrupt

Gone are the days of intense hustle and David Geffen-like ambitions. While Braun catapulted several artists to stardom and, astonishingly, put together One Love Manchester, a significant charity event that featured high-end celebs, his career trajectory went downhill after the Swift dispute. 

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Per Puck News, Justin Bieber and Braun, who had worked together for the entirety of the singer’s career, “haven’t talked in months.” Billboard and People also reported that Ariana Grande and Braun were splitting up at the same time. Justin’s wife, Hailey Bieber, confirmed to US Magazine, 

Justin has officially let Scooter go as his manager. He’s been working with and taking meetings with another manager for three years now. 

However, another insider claimed to the US that all of Braun’s clients are under contract negotiations (?) The insider added, 

 People are spreading rumors based on what they know, but they are off. Scooter’s team at SB Projects is still handling both Justin and Ariana as they work through what this new structure looks like.

So, who’s telling the truth? For his part, Scooter Braun broke his silence amid the drama, quipping via Twitter: “Breaking news … I’m no longer managing myself.” Guess there was some truth in the rumors that Braun’s well-known clientele had abandoned him for disloyalty and theft (given what went down with Swift). 

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Despite early successes and a knack for high-profile events, Braun’s career faced mounting questions after client losses. Let’s see how the CEO role shapes up for him in the future.

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