FEATURE:
My (Your) Song
IN THIS PHOTO: Victoria Monét is among a group of hit-making songwriters who have signed an open letter asking artists to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write
The Hit Songwriters Asking Pop Artists to Stop Taking Credit for Tracks They Did Not Write
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I was intrigued by an article…
IN THIS PHOTO: Songwriter Justin Tranter/PHOTO CREDIT: Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images
that I saw on the BBC website on Wednesday. I have been thinking a lot about musicians and how hard the pandemic has been for them with no gigs and limited revenue. When it comes to streaming payment, it is harder than ever to get what is ‘owed’ and make any sort of living from it. I think that songwriters have it even harder. Not only are they some of the great names behind big artists; they are often not credited for their work and have to live in the shadows. That might be about to change:
“Some of pop's biggest hitmakers are asking artists to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write.
In an open letter, the writers behind songs like Dua Lipa's New Rules and Ariana Grande's 7 Rings said "a growing number of artists" were demanding a share of publishing royalties, even if they had contributed nothing to a song.
"These artists will go on to collect revenue from touring, merchandise [and] brand partnerships," they said, but "songwriters have only their publishing revenue as a means of income"
They added that composers were often subjected to "bully tactics and threats" by artists and executives who wanted to take a share of the songwriting royalties.
The letter was organised by a new advocacy group calling itself The Pact. Signatories included Justin Tranter, Emily Warren, Ross Golan, Amy Allen, Savan Kotecha, Joel Little and Victoria Monét.
Between them, they have created hit records for the likes of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, One Direction, Michael Bublé, Lorde, Shawn Mendes and Selena Gomez - although the letter was not directed at any specific artists.
IN THIS PHOTO: Shawn Mendes
"Over time, this practice of artists taking publishing has become normalised; and until now, there has been no real unity within the songwriting community to fight back," they wrote.
"That is why we have decided to join together, in support of each other, and make a change."
The letter addresses a music industry practice that dates back to Elvis Presley, whose manager Colonel Tom Parker often insisted on his client receiving a co-writing credit on the songs he recorded.
Many composers acquiesced, using the logic that the money earned from 50% of an Elvis record would be higher than 100% of the same song, recorded by a less well-known artist.
Over time, the idea became so commonplace that it spawned a phrase: "Change a word, get a third" (as in, one slight tweak to the lyrics can get you a third of the royalties).
Until now, writers have been reluctant to speak publicly about the issue, in case it harms their careers”.
There is this notion that, when it comes to certain artists, there is this army of songwriters. There are a lot of tracks where an artist has a writing credit when they didn’t do much, or else there is an army of writers when fewer could have done. I have a lot of sympathy for songwriters who have been afraid to speak out or have had to struggle for credit. I can see why artists would want publishing royalties at a time when there is no touring revenue available. I don’t think that is what is happening. Rather than it being greed, I feel a lot of artists want to be seen as songwriters and being part of the mix - maybe so they can be taken more seriously. In other cases, there is a lack of respect and the feeling that the songwriters are a tiny cog in the machine.
IN THIS PHOTO: Fiona Bevan
Not only has this watershed moment come when songwriters are demanding their just dues; many songwriters are struggling to make ends meet. Another BBC article that appeared late last year gave us an insight into how pronounced the problem is:
“The songwriters behind some of the UK's biggest hit singles "are driving Ubers" to make ends meet, MPs have been told.
Fiona Bevan, who has written songs for One Direction, Steps and Lewis Capaldi, said many writers were struggling because of the way streaming services pay royalties.
Bevan revealed she had earned just £100 for co-writing a track on Kylie Minogue's number one album, Disco.
"The most successful songwriters in the world can't pay their rent," she added.
"Right now, hit songwriters are driving Ubers. It's quite shameful."
Bevan was giving evidence to a digital, culture, media and sport select committee inquiry into the economics of streaming, which now accounts for more than three-quarters of music industry income in the UK.
MPs heard from musicians including Chic's Nile Rodgers and saxophonist Soweto Kinch, as well as music managers Maria Forte and Kwame Kwaten.
Rodgers said he hadn't looked into his streaming income before the Covid-19 pandemic "because my tour revenue has been so substantial that I could support my entire organisation".
After looking into the figures this year, he was "completely shocked".
Not only should streaming sites change their models so that songwriters get a bigger slice of revenue and are in the conversation. I think that this issue where artists are taking credit and songwriters are having to voice their concerns means that there needs to be a change. I wonder how often many of us think about the people who write some of the biggest hits and a lot of the songs we love. They only have publishing revenue so, when one thinks that this is being taken away to an extent, it does make for shocking reading. It looks like things could change. This is a good thing, as it would allow these important songwriters to get the…
PHOTO CREDIT: @fotografierende/Unsplash
FULL credit and income they deserve.