New songwriters aspire to be the next best writer based on their favorite songs from the past. However, the technological side of the music industry is making it very hard for songwriters to succeed as writers. Streaming revenues play a big part in this issue, but now AI is causing even more disruption. This is fueling an unseen rift between the music and quality control of the music, and songwriters versus producers and publishers.
Songwriters are the fabric of the music industry, so they should be preserved and not pushed to the wayside if many genres want to endure the massive shake-up that is going on right now.
When I got into the game, producer’s budgets were dropping yearly. It would take so long to get on that by the time you did, it would feel like it was all for nothing. However, we still got paid, and songwriters always got the short end of the stick.
Songwriters Only Get Paid from Publishing Revenue
Songwriters only get paid from publishing revenue historically and currently. With publishing revenues being so low, how can a songwriter truly make it? You don’t. Most writers bow out in 1-3 years after deciding to go professional or can't sustain themselves after the first hit.
Songwriters Do Not Get a Portion of Master Record Revenue
Songwriters by custom standards get 0% of the producer royalties, otherwise known as master royalties, even though they actually produce the record as well. Isn’t that funny! Another fact is that songwriters do more pitching than producers when it comes to full songs.
What Publishing Looks Like from 1,000,000 Spotify Streams
Roughly 10% of the master payout
$0.0038 x 1,000,000 streams = $3,800 x 10% (Publishing revenue) = $380
$380 ÷ 2 (Performance and Mechanical royalties) = $190 per royalty
If only 2 people are involved, then they get $190 each
Songwriters Do Not Get Paid an Upfront Fee Customarily
Outside of Nashville, songwriters do not get paid a fee for writing unless they are signed to a major publisher… maybe! So, it’s a fight to become an in-demand writer.
Some Perspective
If you make it to six-figure land, you’ve made it!
If you make it to seven-figure land, you’re a household name!
A regular job has more security than this, and a songwriter seems like a side hustle.
How Can They Get Paid More?
Songwriters will want to add more skills to their buckets, like recording engineering and vocal production.
How Can Producers Support Songwriters?
Producers should split their fees and points with songwriters. After all, if there aren’t dope lyrics on the track, then the tracks don’t mean anything. It is the job of a producer to come up with a production budget, so include all of your people in a line item sheet each time you sell a song to a label. Take care of your crew. Split your points with them because they are just as much of a producer as you are.
How Can Songwriters Come Up Quickly?
Form a writing team or production team and produce at volume. Strength is in numbers, and when a writing team pitches in together to create more records faster, you begin to win faster and get more opportunities at bigger budgets.
Here’s What I Suggest
Develop a writing team and select the producers that you will write with or accept tracks from.
Develop a consistent plan to produce records monthly.
Develop a list of artists to target and a list of A&Rs to target.
Develop a SoundBetter page so you can write some songs on the side for upfront cash.
Stay independent of publishers because you can exploit your own services better than they can.
Learn how to produce vocals and run the recording session.
Check This Out!
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If You Make It as an Indie Writer You’ll
Achieve financial stability.
Produce at volume, leading to increased recognition in the industry.
Maintain control over your work and exploit your services more effectively.
Become more versatile and valuable in the industry.
Build valuable relationships, increasing the chances of your work being selected and promoted.
Earn better upfront cash, providing immediate financial relief and support.
If You Fail to Establish a Structure
You’ll struggle financially, making it hard to sustain a living through your craft.
You risk remaining obscure and missing out on valuable opportunities in the industry.
You may end up with a loss of creative control by relying solely on publishers.
Conclusion
By embracing these strategies, you’re not just a songwriter; you become a versatile music creator, a strategic entrepreneur, and a guardian of artistic integrity. You hold the power to shape the future of music, ensuring that soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics continue to resonate, inspire, and bring joy to the world.
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