Big Machine Label Group
Big Machine Label Group is a Nashville-based country and Americana music label founded in 2005 by Scott Borchetta. Following its 2026 restructuring, the entity now operates as Blue Highway Records under HYBE America while Borchetta independently relaunches the Big Machine Records brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersNashville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Big Machine Label Group does
Big Machine Label Group, founded in 2005 by Scott Borchetta in Nashville, Tennessee, is a privately held music label holding company that historically operated as a leading country and Americana music label. The company built a roster that included Taylor Swift (whose masters became a public dispute), Rascal Flatts, and Reba McEntire, along with multiple sub-brands: Big Machine Records, Valory Music Co., Big Machine Music Publishing, and BMLG Shop (D2C e-commerce). Its revenue model draws from streaming royalties and music sales (subscription/recurring), artist merchandise (transaction fees), and publishing and licensing royalties across a catalog of songs and recordings distributed globally through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and country radio.
The company's underlying technology stack is largely conventional: recording, production, and distribution infrastructure feeding major streaming platforms, supported by an owned e-commerce storefront (shop.bigmachinelabelgroup.com) and marketing channels that include Country Radio Seminar appearances and a GSTV content integration partnership. No proprietary AI/ML capability, app, or API platform was disclosed in the available data.
Following ownership changes — Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine in 2019 for over $300 million, and HYBE America acquired the assets in 2021 — the label underwent material restructuring in February 2026. HYBE America rebranded the retained entity as Blue Highway Records (with Valory Music Co. folded in and Jake Basden appointed CEO), while founder Scott Borchetta departed and reacquired the Big Machine Records brand for independent relaunch. The founder has since extended into NFL athlete representation via Borchetta Entertainment Group. The current legal entity operates under Big Machine Label Group, LLC, domiciled in Tennessee, with contact infrastructure now pointing to hybecorp.com domains associated with Blue Highway Records.
Big Machine Label Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Machine Label Group
- Legal name
- Big Machine Label Group, LLC
- Website
- https://bigmachinelabelgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Big Machine Label Group is a Nashville-based country and Americana music label founded in 2005 by Scott Borchetta. Following its 2026 restructuring, the entity now operates as Blue Highway Records under HYBE America while Borchetta independently relaunches the Big Machine Records brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Machine Label Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Country Music Record Label
- NAICS
- Music Publishers (512230), Record Production and Distribution (51225)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Micro-Licensing & Direct Licensing Platforms (UGC, SMB venues, online uses) (MPAIAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Big Machine Label Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Machine Label Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Music Royalties and Streaming: Revenue from streaming platforms and music sales generated by signed artists' catalog
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of artist merchandise through e-commerce platform
- Publishing and Licensing: Publishing rights and licensing deals for music catalog
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Big Machine Label Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Machine Label Group is a Nashville-based country and Americana music record label and music publishing company. The label signs, develops, produces, markets, and distributes music recordings for its roster of artists including Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and Reba McEntire. The company also manages music publishing rights, licenses its catalog for synchronization deals, and operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront for artist merchandise and music releases.
Product overview
Big Machine Label Group is a music industry conglomerate that operated as a record label holding company with multiple label imprints and a music publishing division. The portfolio includes Big Machine Records (the historic country label featuring artists like Taylor Swift), Blue Highway Records (a Hybe America-owned country and Americana label housing Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Midland, Justin Moore, and Carly Pearce), Valory Music Co. (now folded into Blue Highway), and Big Machine Music Publishing. The group also operates an e-commerce shop for merchandise and music. Following Hybe America's 2021 acquisition and subsequent restructuring, the label assets underwent rebranding, with Scott Borchetta departing and reacquiring the Big Machine Records brand for independent relaunch.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Big Machine Records A country and Americana music record label that signs, develops, produces, and distributes recordings for its roster of artists. The label was reacquired by founder Scott Borchetta in 2026 for independent operations.
- Blue Highway Records A country and Americana music label under HYBE America housing artists including Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Midland, Justin Moore, and Carly Pearce, formed from the relaunch of Big Machine Label Group in February 2026.
- Big Machine Music Publishing Music publishing division that manages songwriting rights and catalog licensing for the label's artists, generating revenue through licensing deals and royalty collections.
- BMLG Shop An e-commerce platform for purchasing artist merchandise, music releases, and artist-related products directly from Big Machine Label Group's signed artists and imprints.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully developed multiple chart-topping country artists over two decades of operation
Companies that use Big Machine Label Group
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Big Machine Label Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Big Machine Label Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- KMM Sports (Kelli Masters)minorPartnership with NFL agent Kelli Masters and Erik Logan through Borchetta Entertainment Group to enter NFL athlete representation space. New venture aims to build full-scale brands for athletes beyond traditional contract work.
- CreatiVetscoreNonprofit partnership supporting veterans through music arts programs. Released Irving Locker's debut song 'If Freedom Was Free' - a 101-year-old WWII veteran's first published songwriting work. Partnership creates therapeutic songwriting opportunities for veterans dealing with PTSD.
- GSTVminorContent integration partnership with GSTV's data-driven video network at convenience and fuel retailers. First homegrown programming tentpole featuring Big Machine Label Group content, reaching 116 million monthly consumers across 30,000+ retail locations.
- Universal Music GroupminorUniversal Music Group oversaw product management for artist merchandise, involved in incident where Taylor Swift packaging contained unreleased Aaron Lewis album materials from Big Machine.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Big Machine Label Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Curb Records: Long-standing independent Nashville country label. Direct comparable in genre focus, indie ownership structure, and decades-long artist development track record in country music.
- Sony Music Nashville: Major-label Nashville division signing and developing country artists. Directly comparable in genre focus (country), artist development model, and target radio/streaming channels.
- Broken Bow Records: Independent Nashville country label with comparable artist roster size and similar full-service artist development model. Closely matched as an indie country peer.
- Universal Music Group Nashville: Major-label Nashville division directly competing for country artists, radio promotion, and streaming market share. UMG is also a current distribution/merchandise partner for Big Machine, making it both competitor and channel.
- Warner Music Nashville: Major-label Nashville country division with a comparable roster of established country artists. Direct competitor for A&R signings and country radio promotion campaigns.
Broad incumbents
- Concord Music Group: Independently owned recorded music and publishing group with significant country catalog and artist roster. Comparable in business model combining label, publishing, and sync rights.
- Hybe America: Parent/successor entity that owned Big Machine Label Group from 2021-2026 and currently owns Blue Highway Records. Provides structural comparison as the larger corporate holder of the country assets.
Emerging players
- Thirty Tigers: Independent Nashville-rooted label and distributor with comparable Americana/country focus. Smaller-scale peer with similar artist development and indie distribution model.
- Rounder Records: Independent roots/Americana-focused label with overlap in BMLG's Americana catalog positioning. Smaller scale but directly comparable in genre-adjacent artist development.
Others
- Spotify: Primary streaming distribution channel for BMLG's recorded music catalog. While not a peer in the label sense, Spotify is the dominant revenue-generating platform and is the key negotiating counterparty that determines label-level streaming economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Big Machine Label Group social profiles
Digital presenceBig Machine Label Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Machine Label Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Big Machine Label Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Big Machine Label Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Machine Label Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Machine Label Group
What does Big Machine Label Group do?
Big Machine Label Group is a Nashville-based country and Americana music record label and music publishing company. The label signs, develops, produces, markets, and distributes music recordings for its roster of artists including Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and Reba McEntire. The company also manages music publishing rights, licenses its catalog for synchronization deals, and operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront for artist merchandise and music releases.
Is Big Machine Label Group a public or private company?
Big Machine Label Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Big Machine Label Group founded?
Big Machine Label Group was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Big Machine Label Group based?
Big Machine Label Group is headquartered in Nashville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Machine Label Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Music Royalties and Streaming is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales and publishing and Licensing.
Who are Big Machine Label Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Curb Records, Sony Music Nashville, Broken Bow Records, Universal Music Group Nashville and Warner Music Nashville. Broad incumbents are Concord Music Group and Hybe America. Emerging players are Thirty Tigers and Rounder Records. Spotify is listed as an others.
Does Big Machine Label Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Machine Label Group.
What industry is Big Machine Label Group in?
Big Machine Label Group's product category is Country Music Record Label. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAAAA, Record Labels (Major & Independent), with a secondary code of MPAIAKAJ, Micro-Licensing & Direct Licensing Platforms (UGC, SMB venues, online uses). Its NAICS code is 512230.