Cd sales - how do songwriters get paid?

[Jason_scorching_past]

Does anyone know how artists generally get paid for their music? If i was to buy a new version of say 'Earth Vs.." from Amazon, does Ginger get any royalties from that sale or has he long since been paid and the profit on the cd all goes to Amazon?

[Col]

I'd be interested to know and have asked before, but dunno if it kinda personal (contract details) or not.

I think any royalties would go to record company or artist, with amazon taking their cut anyhow.

It would be good to know sometimes, just to try and make sure royalties went to the right person.

[Jason_scorching_past]

Yeah, I am interested cos I want to buy some CJ solo stuff and other Wildhearts offshoot bands and I'd prefer some of what I pay to end up in their pockets but if that isn't going to happen anyway I'll just buy 'em on eBay or something.

[Ean]

For a general idea, your best bet is to plough through this. It's a US site, but it's more or less the same here.

As for The Wildhearts? If you buy a new copy of Earth Vs, after Amazon take their profit margin, the rest will be divvied up to cover whatever associated manufacturing costs there are (amongst other things), and eventually whatever royalties are owed will emerge.

Whether the band makes any money, however, very much depends on the deal they had, how the songwriter royalty was negotiated, and how much they still owe EastWest from their advance.

On the other hand, if like TWMBD, the record is already paid for, and just licensed to a company for release, they should make more off it because there's nothing to pay back.

If you can find it, there was an excellent documentary series called (I think) The Music Biz on the BBC. It's going back a bit now (their episode dissecting a live event was Metallica at Milton Keynes in '93), but the first episode about deals is still relevant.

[idiottoast]

Up to now TWMBD has been on four different labels, GUT -BRITAIN, UNIVERSAL -JAPAN, PUNK`N`DRUNK - GERMANY and ELM STREET - err....HOLLAND

[Ean]

Up to now TWMBD has been on four different labels, GUT -BRITAIN, UNIVERSAL -JAPAN, PUNK`N`DRUNK - GERMANY and ELM STREET - err....HOLLAND

Not to mention Sanctuary in the US, but most of those are distribution deals rather than contracts like EastWest was.

[idiottoast]

Did`nt know he was signed to,or,had a deal with sanctuary in america.I`m sure i read somewhere that they were`nt interested in the wildhearts or ginger,which struck me as being a bit wierd seeing as how they released a break in the weather,and re-released BLM and GAB here in blighty.PLUS,now i`ve got another version to track down and buy GGRRR.Damm you for knowing that,and putting a big gap in my collection, L.O.L.

[Ean]

Did`nt know he was signed to,or,had a deal with sanctuary in america.

I believe it was signed for TWMBD with a view to further releases, which obviously never happened due to the last break.

PLUS,now i`ve got another version to track down and buy GGRRR.Damm you for knowing that,and putting a big gap in my collection, L.O.L.

clicky

[Jason_scorching_past]

For a general idea, your best bet is to plough through this. It's a US site, but it's more or less the same here.

.

Thanks Ean, that makes from some interesting reading.

[eyeheartsatan]

If you can find it, there was an excellent documentary series called (I think) The Music Biz on the BBC. It's going back a bit now (their episode dissecting a live event was Metallica at Milton Keynes in '93), but the first episode about deals is still relevant.

I used to have that from when I taped it off the telly. I wish I could get another copy (or wish I hadn't lost it) - you can also see Ritchie in the 'snakepit' at one point.

[Ross]

I just rescued my tape of that from my Mum and Dad's... It's also got Noisy Mothers Donington 95 special on it... Ah good times...

[Stuart Brackpool]

I just rescued my tape of that from my Mum and Dad's... It's also got Noisy Mothers Donington 95 special on it... Ah good times...

I think I remember that. It had White Zombie on it, I believe. Ah, good times indeed...

[Assmask]

It did yeah - that's on Youtube somewhere.