Big Machine Music

Big Machine Music is the Nashville music publishing company inside HYBE America’s US operation. It signs songwriters and administers songs. It does not own master recordings, and it is a separate business from the Big Machine Records label brand it shares a name with.

That distinction became load-bearing on 12 February 2026. Scott Borchetta departed HYBE America and, under the exit terms, reacquired the Big Machine Records brand name to relaunch for his own future ventures. HYBE America retained the Big Machine Label Group assets, the distribution deal, the publishing company Big Machine Music, and a number of artists on the roster including Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Midland, Justin Moore, Carly Pearce, Preston Cooper, Jackson Dean and Mae Estes. On 17 February 2026 the Nashville label operation was rebranded as Blue Highway Records, with The Valory Music Co. folded into it. Big Machine Music remained under HYBE America and was not part of the rebrand.

The publisher’s African relevance is a songwriter. On 21 May 2025 Big Machine Music announced an exclusive publishing deal with Will Linley, the Cape Town-born singer-songwriter released by Island Records. Big Machine Music President Mike Molinar said in the announcement: “Will’s music is so joyful and addictive. Only one song into the first time I saw his live show, it was easy to understand why legions of fans from Cape Town to Los Angeles adore him.” Senior Director Timmy Haehl was named alongside him. No consideration, territory or term was disclosed.

Ownership chain behind the company: Big Machine Label Group was acquired by Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in 2019. The entirety of Ithaca Holdings, including BMLG and Braun’s SB Projects, was then acquired by South Korea’s HYBE in a $1.05 billion deal in 2021.