Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

bbc.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 363 posts

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#11

Post by zambal »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #5

I mean, I have sympathy for the writers, but I also don't believe that it's necessarily equitable that a songwriter receives all the money when a song is played on the radio but the performer receives nothing (that is my understanding, please correct me if I'm wrong). Consider the case of "I Will Always Love You", written and originally performed by Dolly Parton but made globally famous by Whitney Houston. I mean, Pa…

Performing artists can also collect performance royalties, but I think am/fm radio is excluded from this and I don't know how much it is in comparison to songwriter royalties.

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#12

Post by hristov »

This unfortunately has been a long used tactic in the music world. In the old times it was sharpie producers putting their names as writers for songs of poor black artists, so they (the producers) can get royalties in addition to their usual fees. Now it is the singers taking advantage of the songwriters and composers.

It is all evil but it kind of shows who has the negotiation leverage. Todays pop music scene is all about creating a celebrity image consumers want to identify with. Once said image is created the actual music is not that important. So the writers do not get much credit.

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#13

Post by dfxm12 »

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.

Ultimately, I wonder where the money ends up between the artist and the executive.

This article (not the pact's message) seems to be unfairly framing this as writers vs artists, but the real bad guy could be some suit at UMI or EMG...

It sucks for the writers all the same, but don't misplace your anger.

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#14

Post by Hamuko »

zambal wrote: post #6
jaywalk wrote: post #3

I'd argue that the producers/composers are far more important to pop songs today than the writers.

I think in the context of music, composer and writer are essentially the same, but maybe you meant specifically text writer?

MusicBrainz has a relationship top-level called "writer" and under there are more specific relations "composer", "lyricist", "librettist" and "translator".

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#15

Post by teknopaul »

Everyone loves the free market up the point of monopoly. Same ol story different bizniz. IMHO since the fall of the Wall Conservatives have stopped bothering to justify the free market as providing for all and have adopted Monopoly as a right of the rich. As if they earned their monopoly. The truth is more that government corrupt^M^M^M lobbying, has permitted it.

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#16

Post by bluedino »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #5

I mean, I have sympathy for the writers, but I also don't believe that it's necessarily equitable that a songwriter receives all the money when a song is played on the radio but the performer receives nothing (that is my understanding, please correct me if I'm wrong). Consider the case of "I Will Always Love You", written and originally performed by Dolly Parton but made globally famous by Whitney Houston. I mean, Pa…

>> is it really fair that Parton received all the benefit of that and Houston's estate nothing?

According to a quick Google search, Houston made over $30 million from the Bodyguard soundtrack, and millions more after her death.

Re: Hit songwriters ask pop stars to stop taking credit for songs they didn't write

#18

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

Simulacra wrote: post #2

Wow I had no idea this was taking place. It reminds me a little of the fight hollywood screenwriters have fought to get equal billing and recognition. I always assumed that the writer got the most money!

Yeah, writers have been kinda screwed. That goes for screenwriters, too, but I think they have actually done a fairly good job of standing up for themselves.

The one relationship that immediately springs to mind, when I think of this type of thing, is Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

I understand that they split up for a while, and that Elton John's music lost its lustre during that period.

Although I like some of Elton John's work, I am not enough of a fan to speak in more than a fairly vague sense. I just remember people complaining about it, when it was happening.

Keith Reid was also given top billing, for Procol Harum. He usually showed up in group photos.

Post reply on HN