# Song royalties questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2020, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568 "2020-05-11T04:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/1 "2020-05-11T04:38:24Z")
If I had written and performed a number 1 hit song in the sixties, would I be able to live comfortably for the rest of my life? Let’'s use an example like “I Got you Babe” written by Sonny Bono and performed by Sonny and Cher. Assuming Sonny had the rights to the song, could he have lived comfortably without doing else for the rest of his life? Would he get money each time that song is played on the radio? How much? Would he get more money if that song is played in a movie or TV show? If that song is now the theme song for a Netflix series, would he get money each time a subscriber played an episode from that series? Now assume that Sonny was young and stupid and signed a contract that did not give him rights to the song, would he get nothing for any of the above? This type of question has probably been asked a million times but I can’t find any answers. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/53a042/32.png) [@cornflakes2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes2)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/2 "2020-05-11T05:55:28Z")
I’m not 100% sure but my logic says yes. It’s the same with residual income methods. Actors continue to get royalties when their TV shows gets aired. Even though shows like Seinfeld may have gone off the air 25 years ago, they are still getting paid because new countries are picking it up and airing on their networks. So yes, you’d be making money for the rest of your life and wouldn’t really have to work again a day in your life if you didn’t want to, but who really wants that? Part of being human is always having something to do, the next project to work on, setting goals and trying to grow in every way possible including your bank account. When a billionaire gets his first billion, why doesn’t he just decide to stop everything and live out the rest of his days on the billion? Why bother to keep working? Because when you make 1 billion, you want 2 and when you make 2, you want 4. That’s the downfall of humanity! There is no equilibrium. It’s something I call, Escalation Theory…it’s my very own theory I coined or came up with but somebody probably has patented the idea before me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/3 "2020-05-11T09:59:54Z")
Noddy Holder has referred to the song, “_Merry Xmas Everybody_” as his pension scheme, reflecting its continuing popularity and the royalties it generates.It has been estimated that the song generates £500,000 of royalties per year. I couldn’t find out what Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan make from “_Fairytale of New York_”, but it “is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century” It seems that writing a hit Christmas song is the key to longevity. Goodness knows how much Irving Berlin made from _“White Christmas”._ ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/4 "2020-05-11T10:30:28Z")
There are generally two royalty streams: performers royalties and songwriter’s royalties. Writing a hit back in the 60s is no guarantee of long-term income if it faces and isn’t known about much. There’ll be some money, sure, but it needn’t be tremendous. Write the RIGHT song, though, and you’re gold. I once caught an interview with Katrina Leskanich of Katrina and the Waves that said ‘Walking on Sunshine’ was good for an income that covered her for a year every summer because it was continually being licensed - even now - for some sort of promotion by someone every single summer. Good on her. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/5 "2020-05-11T13:06:21Z")
To echo Mr. Chance, I heard a radio interview ~4 years ago with and about Katrina, and the figure just for her was $1 million/year. Wikipedia also cites this figure, but implies the $1 million/year figure is total, not specific to Ms Leskanich. I wonder how band member Kimberley Rew, who wrote the song, has fared royalty-wise from being the songwriter. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/6 "2020-05-11T13:45:26Z")
Here’s [an article from 2010 about Franke Previte](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dirtydancing/songwriter-dirty-dancing-all-the-way-to-the-bank-idUSTRE6A84HR20101109), who wrote the hit song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” for the movie Dirty Dancing. > [@](#): > > Previte estimates that he gets quarterly checks of $10,000 to $30,000 for radio airplay, additional quarterly checks of $50,000 to $100,000 from the hit stage adaptation, and annual checks of $100,000-$125,000 when the song is used in commercials. > > The checks are about to get even bigger. The Black Eyed Peas cover the song’s chorus on their new single, “The Time (The Dirty Bit),” and Previte has agreed to allow the hit TV show “Glee” to use the song in an upcoming episode and album. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/7 "2020-05-11T13:47:14Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > I wonder how band member Kimberley Rew, who wrote the song, has fared royalty-wise from being the songwriter. If she was actually the writer, or one of them, then unless she signed away her rights somehow, she must be doing just fine. The royalties from songs like this generally go disproportionately to the writer/s, not the performer/s. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/8 "2020-05-11T14:00:56Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > I wonder how band member Kimberley Rew, who wrote the song, has fared royalty-wise from being the songwriter. Actually, I need to correct my previous post. First, Rew is a guy, not a woman. My bad. Also, if you look at the Wikipedia article you cite, it says: > [@](#): > > Katrina and the Waves kept the publishing rights and the royalties that typically go to the songwriter have been divided among the band members. Although it also attaches a “clarification needed” caution to this sentence. If this sentence is true, it implies that, rather than the vast bulk of the royalties going directly to the songwriter, as is usually the case, they are divided (equally?) among the band, including Rew. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/9 "2020-05-11T14:03:51Z")
A friend of mine is a musician. He plays guitar and keyboard, does vocals, and has written many songs. He now performs locally in area clubs and is able to get by on the 2-3 jobs he books a month thanks to a few songwriting credits where he co-wrote music/lyrics with big names. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/10 "2020-05-11T14:04:42Z")
Norman Greenbaum has been living off of proceeds from Spirit in the Sky since 1970: > **[Norman Greenbaum on 'Spirit in the Sky' at 50: 'The Interest in It Just...](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/norman-greenbaum-interview-spirit-in-the-sky-934508/)** > > The singer-songwriter on the inspiration behind his immortal fuzz-rock anthem, and why it was so hard to follow up ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/11 "2020-05-11T14:05:34Z")
The author of the lyrics to “Suicide is Painless” (the son of the director Robert Altman) has reportedly made more from residuals than his father made from directing the movie [Suicide Is Painless - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Is_Painless) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/12 "2020-05-11T14:06:12Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > There are generally two royalty streams: performers royalties and songwriter’s royalties. Paul McCartney hit the trifecta with the song “Wonderful Christmastime”: sole writer, sole performer, and it gets played constantly every winter. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/13 "2020-05-11T14:22:53Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Paul McCartney hit the trifecta with the song “Wonderful Christmastime”: sole writer, sole performer, and it gets played constantly every winter. TheRyanGeorge has a great explanation of the lyrics to “Wonderful Christmastime” > ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/14 "2020-05-11T14:47:42Z")
I’ve heard that Gene Roddenberry wrote lyrics for the Star Trek theme song, as a way to prevent the studios from totally shafting him: Writing lyrics gives him an author credit for the song, and so, even when it’s performed without the lyrics (which is almost always), he’s due a royalty. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/15 "2020-05-11T15:21:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve heard that Gene Roddenberry wrote lyrics for the Star Trek theme song, as a way to prevent the studios from totally shafting him: Writing lyrics gives him an author credit for the song, and so, even when it’s performed without the lyrics (which is almost always), he’s due a royalty. Yeah, I’ve heard that too - don’t know whether it is true (it’s true that Roddenberry wrote lyrics and that he therefore got royalties, but the stuff about his motivation is not proven, I think). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/16 "2020-05-11T15:24:55Z")
I remember John Phillips saying that he made $250,000 a year just from “California Dreaming,” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/17 "2020-05-11T15:30:54Z")
Related (perhaps) question. Can I help my favorite music people make money by running my pandora station 24/7 even when I’m not home? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/18 "2020-05-11T15:31:10Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Norman Greenbaum has been living off of proceeds from Spirit in the Sky since 1970: > > [Norman Greenbaum Interview: 'Spirit in the Sky' at 50 and More](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/norman-greenbaum-interview-spirit-in-the-sky-934508/) Actually, it seems from his discussion in the interview, that the really substantial royalties came after the song was covered by Doctor and the Medics in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/19 "2020-05-11T16:06:04Z")
Don McLean said what American Pie means to him is his kids went to college on the royalties. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568/20 "2020-05-11T16:10:43Z")
A while back I saw a documentary on _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ on what was then the 40th anniversary of the film’s release. It opened with a shot of Richard O’Brien in the lobby of the bed & breakfast they’d used for the entryway of Fran-N-furter’s castle, strumming the opening chords of _The Time Warp_ on an acoustic guitar. He looks up and says, “This song has been very, very good to me,” while smiling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-royalties-questions/853568.md?page=2)