Basics of Royalties, Songwriters...?

[niceguy]

This question doesn't really apply to me, as I'm not a world-famous musician But, I'm very curious.

 

For example, The Police has Sting listed as the songwriter for Every Breath You Take (even though Andy came up with the signature riff). Does this mean that, if this song is used in a movie, then Sting is the only one who gets royalty payments?

 

Then, there are bands like Green Day. Their song Time Of Your Life was written solely by the singer, and the other 2 guys don't even play on it. Yet, the song is officially listed as being written by Green Day. Does this mean they ALL receive royalties when this song is used in TV, etc?

 

I'm just curious. It seems many bands list one person as the songwriter, even when the song is definitely shaped by multiple people. Just look at Roxanne---again, Andy's signature riff, yet Sting is listed as sole songwriter.

 

How does this all work?

[Brad S.]

This question doesn't really apply to me, as I'm not a world-famous musician But, I'm very curious. For example, The Police has Sting listed as the songwriter for Every Breath You Take (even though Andy came up with the signature riff). Does this mean that, if this song is used in a movie, then Sting is the only one who gets royalty payments? Then, there are bands like Green Day. Their song Time Of Your Life was written solely by the singer, and the other 2 guys don't even play on it. Yet, the song is officially listed as being written by Green Day. Does this mean they ALL receive royalties when this song is used in TV, etc? I'm just curious. It seems many bands list one person as the songwriter, even when the song is definitely shaped by multiple people. Just look at Roxanne---again, Andy's signature riff, yet Sting is listed as sole songwriter. How does this all work?

 

Most of the time, everyone listed on the song is paid some type of compensation for contributing their part to a song. Who receives royalties is determined by who is listed as the owner or owners of the copyright. Just because someone is listed as a songwriter, it doesn't mean they also receives royalties from the song they contributed to.

 

There are scenarios where one individual (the person with the money) from a band pays his band mates each a one-time fee to record their part of the song, but and because the band mates didn't retain ownership, they wouldn't receive any future royalty payments. It's called a work-for-hire agreement.

 

That's just one typical scenario but in this game, there are so many different ways to slice a song pie!

[BlueStrat]

The Police may well have a contract that specifies the split. But from a legal standpoint, it is only the melody and lyrics that make the song. Sting could easily play that song with a solo acoustic guitar.

 

It is a bit of a grey area, though. Occaisionally, a signature riff will become such an ingrained melodic structure of the song, that a court will hold that it is indeed covered by writer's royalties. Procul Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" falls under this ituation, wiht the melody played in the intro by the organ considered to be part of the song. I would not be surprisd if a court held that the guitar riffs to "Very Breath You Take" fall under the same scenario. But generally, parts come up with are considered arranging and not writing.

 

I wish I could come up with a line that is considered an integral part of a song and is recognized instantly!