A few of Taylor Swift’s biggest controversies: From the Ticketmaster debacle to her private jet’s emissions, here are five of her biggest flops.
1. She got tickets
In the summer of 2013, Taylor Swift was on the receiving end of an onslaught of criticism after receiving tickets for her first show in North America. She’d landed in New York City on a private jet, which she’d purchased with some $100,000 from her manager. There was a certain amount of scrutiny over the decision to hold those seats for her when she arrived in her country of origin. She’d also received two additional tickets at the same time, which she spent as she had to pay for the previous two.
The problem was ultimately resolved when Swift agreed to return to Swift Songs, the label owned by her manager, Scooter Braun, and her manager’s brother, Rick. As part of the deal, Braun returned the two additional tickets, although she would later go public with accusations that she’d received at least one free ticket. This controversy caused Swift to cancel two upcoming shows, but she later returned to the United States and played the shows that would have followed her London dates. Her label, Reprise Records, paid for her flight from London back to the States. Some of the controversy surrounding her trip to America is that the label claimed it would be refunded, but Swift’s management would not, and Taylor Swift reportedly didn’t even want to receive the money.
As of now, she and Braun have resolved the issue. No tickets were ever issued to any of her shows in the United States. However, Braun said, “Taylor has never had an issue. We always paid up front.”
2. She took the $1.5 billion she believed was promised her
Taylor Swift’s 2013 album, Red, set the world on fire. She became the first woman to ever number one on the Billboard 200, the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and the Billboard 200, and the No. 1 album on both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Top Pop Albums. Her single, “Love Story” was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, earning her a gold plaque. She also won six Billboard Music Awards, including Top Artist, Top New Artist, Top Album, Top Radio Airplay Song and Top Country Solo Artist; she had to leave
