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Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

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Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#21

Post by consumer451 »

bsder wrote: post #3

It's a simple answer: remuneration. Songwriters get paid mechanical royalties, performance royalties, and synch fees anytime the song is used. Bands, for example, only get paid when their specific recording gets played. Therefore, if something gets remixed, covered, etc. you want to be the songwriter , not the band .

Simon Cowell is known to have played (and written the part for) instruments like the triangle on many of his associated bands' tracks so that he got an undeserved cut of the songwriting royalties.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#22

Post by delecti »

solarmist wrote: post #12
bombolo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The entire point of AI currently is to NOT remunerate.

Sure, but once it becomes commercially useful in creative works that will likely change.

I suspect the mechanism of that will be that Disney lawyers and/or lobbyists will start throwing their weight around once AI trained on Disney media is making money for someone other than Disney.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#23

Post by zwieback »

droptablemain wrote: post #15

Modern pop music is a more refined commercial industry than it was in the past. It's been sliding further and further away from art and toward the commercial. It is what it is.

For sure, but the trend for some teenager on TikTok skyrocketing to fame with a 100% homemade song is also a trend. A welcome one, in my opinion.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#24

Post by zwieback »

lordfrito wrote: post #18
droptablemain wrote: post #15

Modern pop music is a more refined commercial industry than it was in the past. It's been sliding further and further away from art and toward the commercial. It is what it is.

Same reason movie credits are now 20 minutes long

Except on re-run channels where they speed up the credits 100x to get them over with. Kind of like the drug interactions or terms and conditions at the end of ads.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#25

Post by msla »

bazoom42 wrote: post #16
droptablemain wrote: post #15

Modern pop music is a more refined commercial industry than it was in the past. It's been sliding further and further away from art and toward the commercial. It is what it is.

When was pop music not commercial? Isn’t this basically the definition of pop music?

Exactly. That's what differentiates it from folk: Both are music of the people, but pop music was explicitly written for a commercial purpose, and it's existed in that form since before audio recording existed, as another poster mentioned.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#26

Post by whstl »

genewitch wrote: post #5

The answer to the question the article poses, FTA: Because the definition of "songwriting" has changed since the 1960s, and not just due to "sampling." It's still a decent read, but if you want to argue the nuance, this is what the article says.

I assume you're talking about crediting beat makers, arrangers and producers rather than just the "traditional" way of crediting the people who come up with the melody and lyrics?

If so, I agree with an addendum: I think it's more about the "culture" around songwriting credits rather than the definition itself, as this was kind of always possible to do, and some people today still do the "old way". For example, back in the 60s/70s some bands like The Doors and Deep Purple would credit the whole band. And sometimes producers would also get credit, like Brian Eno with Talking Heads from the top of my head.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#27

Post by manachar »

droptablemain wrote: post #15

Modern pop music is a more refined commercial industry than it was in the past. It's been sliding further and further away from art and toward the commercial. It is what it is.

"Art that doesn't sell is just a storage problem."

Had an artist tell me this once and it stuck with me ever since. He was referring to paintings, but has generally held for every other artistic endeavor.

Looking through history art has always been commercial - it's just the audience that changes.

For music, musicians who got paid used to be focused on the tastes of just the wealthiest folks who liked to go and be seen at symphonies. Nowadays, it's the artists who can fill stadiums (and get fans to buy lots of merch) that make the most bank. As such, it is often those musicians who provide a sellable brand that do best. To many, this can feel fake and plastic. But like any product designed for mass consumption, it's essential.

Looking at the symbiotic dance between artist and viewer/reader/listener is really something special, and helps to provide context for changes in trends.

You could be the best guitar player in the world, writing the best guitar solos of all time, but if you can't get people to pay for it, it's just a storage problem for your guitar.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#29

Post by dragonwriter »

solarmist wrote: post #12
bombolo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The entire point of AI currently is to NOT remunerate.

Sure, but once it becomes commercially useful in creative works that will likely change.

> Sure, but once it becomes commercially useful in creative works

It probably already is; the controversies make it likely people aren’t going to be overly forthcoming about their use of it, though.

Re: Why do modern pop songs have so many credited writers?

#30

Post by bazoom42 »

lordfrito wrote: post #18
droptablemain wrote: post #15

Modern pop music is a more refined commercial industry than it was in the past. It's been sliding further and further away from art and toward the commercial. It is what it is.

Same reason movie credits are now 20 minutes long

No, because you dont get royalties from a movie just because you are in the credits.
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