Did Taylor Swift’s dad really buy 40,000 albums to launch her career? Here’s what’s true

Taylor Swift recently reminisced in regard to her launch single selling 40,000 copies in a nostalgic post shared on instagram. However, the post unexpectedly fueled an old speculation. This rumor stated that her wealthy father, Scott Swift, had bought 40,000 copies of her single Tim McGraw. But are there any facts that support these claims?

No Credible Evidence Supports the Allegations

Despite decades of rumors, no reliable source has confirmed these speculations. While some reports have indicated that Swift’s wealthy background may have facilitated her initial career, supporters insisted that it was a baseless statement from her detractors who tried to showcase her as privileged and insinuate that her father purchased her entire profession. Swift’s father has long been a controversial figure among fans, experiencing skepticism even from Swifties, in regard to previous controversies.

Family Support in Career Decisions

The Anti-Hero singer’s family encouraged her when she dismissed a deal with significant label RCA, choosing to sign with the smaller Big Machine Records. When Big Machine enlisted her, Scott Swift allegedly became an investor, primarily owning 3% of the company, which then raised to 5% when founder Scott Borchetta sold it to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings. Reports suggest that Scott Swift received approximately $15.1 million from the transaction.

Controversial Emails Surface

Scott Swift came under scrutiny following 18-year-old emails surfaced in a lawsuit. The emails, included in court documents by Daniel Dymtrow, Taylor’s former manager, have harsh comments in regard to his family and Taylor’s career. Dymtrow stated the Swifts owed him over $10,000 he was paid for two years of work that included industry bonds.

Scott Swift’s Annoyance in Emails

As per The Mirror, the emails portrayed Scott Swift expressing anger in regard to not receiving required recognition for helping propel his daughter’s profession. He complained about missing opportunities to travel with Taylor and stated he would do everything possible to assert her career. He also made comments about Andrea Swift:

"Who gets to go to New York, New England and every cool appearance? Not dad. Can’t fix hair. Dad talks too much. Who pays for trips to New York? Dad. I am going to do anything that I think is appropriate to do to advance Taylor’s career. Finally, if you want to get rid of me, please forward this to Andrea."

Scott Swift additionally cited to Dymtrow that no one would support Taylor becoming more successful than him and cited he was her huge fan.

Taylor Swift’s Career Achievements

Taylor Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl sold 4.002 million equivalent units in its initial week, as per the Luminate data via Billboard. She is currently the solo artist with the most No.1 albums. Mirroring on her launch, she posted on Instagram:

"I’ll never forget how excited I was in 2006 when my first album sold 40,000 copies in its first week. I was 16 and couldn’t even fathom that that many people would care enough about my music to invest their time and energy into it."

She stated that “a hundred times that many people” bought her album this week and showed gratitude to her fans:

"I have 4 million thank you’s I want to send to the fans, and 4 million reasons to feel even more proud of this album than I already was. Thank you for going out to celebrate this project in the movie theaters, investing in vinyl, streaming, watching the video, buying CDs, reading the poems I wrote inside the packaging, and immersing yourselves in ‘The Life of a Showgirl.’"

Swift surpassed Adele’s record by selling 3.482 million units of 25 in a week in December 2015, breaking Adele’s sales record within five days.

FAQs:

Q1. Did Scott Swift buy Taylor Swift’s initial single?
No. There is no reliable evidence that Scott Swift bought any copies of Tim McGraw. The speculation is baseless.

Q2. Why did the speculation resurface?
Taylor’s Instagram post celebrating 40,000 sales fueled rumors. Fans and media revisited the previous claim.