songwriting income

How much do songwriters make?

I have a few tunes in my head that im writing into songs. I think they will become very big hits!
 
talking first year, after that anything is possible, but i have a feeling 'georges' would except $10m per song at this stage if u offered
 
between $0 and $10m per song

Actually for the vast majority it's a negative number, and for some a very negative number.
When the Easybeats called it a day they were at -38K
And ACDC were pretty much broke after Bon Scott died till Back in Black was released.
John Farnham had bugger all a few years ago, as Jimmy Barnes a house in Bowral was sold by the banks a few years ago.
And james Blundell has also just gone broke, though he does have a 20yr old girlfriend :)
So yeah they make lots of money.

There was some guy though who wrote a really good song called "Shutuppa you faiss"
 
Actually for the vast majority it's a negative number, and for some a very negative number.
When the Easybeats called it a day they were at -38K
And ACDC were pretty much broke after Bon Scott died till Back in Black was released.
John Farnham had bugger all a few years ago, as Jimmy Barnes a house in Bowral was sold by the banks a few years ago.
And james Blundell has also just gone broke, though he does have a 20yr old girlfriend :)
So yeah they make lots of money.

There was some guy though who wrote a really good song called "Shutuppa you faiss"
Joe Dolce.

On the above mentioned names, do you know what their spending habits were/are like? They may have run into hardship due to poor financial management, not necessarily lack of income.

Regards
Marty
 
Actually for the vast majority it's a negative number, and for some a very negative number.
When the Easybeats called it a day they were at -38K
And ACDC were pretty much broke after Bon Scott died till Back in Black was released.
John Farnham had bugger all a few years ago, as Jimmy Barnes a house in Bowral was sold by the banks a few years ago.
And james Blundell has also just gone broke, though he does have a 20yr old girlfriend :)
So yeah they make lots of money.

There was some guy though who wrote a really good song called "Shutuppa you faiss"

Eh great stuff thanks Piston . I'm always wondering about these guys.

When you say JF was broke only a few yrs ago , how many yrs ago ? Just wondering b/c he had his come back & that success .

Barnesy , didn't he move to France or somewhere about 10yrs back b/c he went broke , taxes or something , any idea what all that was about ?
So his broke now or ?

Saw Stevey Write doing Eve the other night , he wound up in a caravan I read somehwere.

Cheers
 
He didn't write that song. As Rolf said, it gets down to who owns the music. Farnham sings other peoples songs. He earns money for singing them, but the songwriters get the ongoing income. I'm not sure how many songs Barnesy wrote.
Lots of the people who make money out of music don't (or can't) sing. They let other people do that and just collect the money. I guess they miss out on the groupies, though.
 
I wonder who Evie was?

I think Vander and young wrote that song. Every time it gets played, they get a tiny royalty.

The whole royalty thing is very complicated. I have a mate who is an entertainment lawyer and he started to explain it to me one day (and my request) and I had to tell him to stop. I thought it would have been more simple.

I don't listen to much commercial radio, but I still reckon I hear Khe Sanh (Cold Chisel) about three times a week on someone else's radio, or in a pub or something. Every time it gets played in public, someone gets a royalty - maybe only 10c or so, but imagine how often it gets played in public. I don't think Barnsey gets anything from that.

Years ago I read that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards make far more than the other guys because they're the writers. Charlie and the other bloke are on a wage. A pretty good one, though.
 
i'd say copyright your songs, then sell the copyright.

plenty of people write songs for others to sing - and get paid handsomely for it.

just CYA.
 
Joe Dolce.
On the above mentioned names, do you know what their spending habits were/are like? They may have run into hardship due to poor financial management, not necessarily lack of income.
Regards
Marty

Given the detail before, you could've assumed maybe i knew lol
What do you think is "poor financial manegement"?
Joe Dolce made money with SYF, then lost money with everything else.
Blundell made money with his first LP and cover song, then lost money with all the others.
ACDC made money in Australia and spent all of it touring UK & EU, till BinB.
Easybeats spent all their income in the US market.
Baby Animals made money on the first one, not much the second and spent it all touring the US.
Screaming jets are still performing and get what I consider a half decent wage.
The Angels have been round long enough and from what I can see made a resonably good living out of it.
Billy Thorpe made some money (spent heaps more) but was smart enough to go into the toy biz in the US, which pretty much funded his return in performing and making much less money (if any).
Silverchair did well from their first 2 albums and pretty much took off OS to ride the UK wave of "anything Australian is great" and playing around the EU festivals where's there's much more $$ than here..
Though he's more known as "Natalie's husband" over there.

Reinvesting is not "hardship" or "poor financial management".
It's a biz risk you take, and if you have no other biz than you are risking all you got. And this is an "all or nothing" game 95% of the time.
When you say JF was broke only a few yrs ago , how many yrs ago ? Just wondering b/c he had his come back & that success .
Barnesy , didn't he move to France or somewhere about 10yrs back b/c he went broke , taxes or something , any idea what all that was about ?
So his broke now or ?
Saw Stevey Write doing Eve the other night , he wound up in a caravan I read somehwere.
Cheers
JF maybe was'nt broke, but had bugger all income and few assets asaik.
Then came Whispering Jack and he was more popular as ever. also he found a few good people who could maximise his potential & "brand" which did well for him.
Barnsey, like many biz operators spent a little more than he should've when income was good. But when income slows and your highly leveraged....well we've discussed that here many times.
Then he did his "soul" album of cover tunes and that seems got him back on track. I think (and hope) he's doing ok atm.
Stevie was one of the best singers recorded i reckon, but he had personal problems in an job that magnifies them 100 fold, and not much income.
afaik it was a caravan park out past Penrith somewhere ~15 yrs ago.

Farnham sings other peoples songs. He earns money for singing them, but the songwriters get the ongoing income. I'm not sure how many songs Barnesy wrote.
If you want a famous artist to sing your song it's going to cost you a % of your royalties.
Producers also take a cut of royalties these days too.
It's Deal or no deal.
And of course enough income will buy plenty "groupies" lol
i'd say copyright your songs, then sell the copyright.
Copyright is automatic in Australia.
The moment it's written or recorded, it is copyrighted.
Everything I've just typed has my copyright.

End Of Trivia
 
Given the detail before, you could've assumed maybe i knew lol
What do you think is "poor financial manegement"?

Reinvesting is not "hardship" or "poor financial management".It's Deal or no deal.


End Of Trivia
Hi PB.

What I meant by poor financial management was perhaps the artists mentioned did receive good amount/s of money at one stage but did not invest it wisely. Either through lack of knowledge or lack of advice. Much like a lot of the population regardless of profession or career. I have read numerous times where musicians have been shafted by management as well.

As you mentioned, a lot of cash has to be put back in to expansion, whether that be getting OS or recording or whatever, and that could explain financial hardship if things don't go to plan.

Regards
Marty

P.S. I enjoy the trivia. Thanks for sharing.
 
Thanks PB & I second Kissfans ps.
It's fascinating stuff to me & I' imagine a hit or two in an Aussie market may not mean all that much financially long term.
I was involved in another form of the arts for 11 yrs but after much soul searching eventually decided to quit because of the none stop financial strains & total impossibilities of ever planning financially, well in that field anyway. The next buck was always some distant smokey haze .
I do up property now , at least it pays . Tough decision though that I still rumble with today.
You read my mind with the Silver Chairs , baby animals & Screaming Jets stuff. I accidentally wound having a beer , that's better , one night with the Jets singer , talented guy that bugar , nice bloke too .

I was reading Axle Rose sold his Ferrari & his record mob coughed up the lot for Chinese Democracy , 7 mil or so , to get it over the line but I dunno the accuracy of that one though. The record company would usually pay for it anyway wouldn't it or ?
Spose financial worries could be highly possible though even for him with 10 or 15 yrs of none stop courts & legal dramas .

Cheers
 
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Copyright is automatic in Australia.
The moment it's written or recorded, it is copyrighted.
Everything I've just typed has my copyright.

End Of Trivia

i'm aware of that, but physically applying for copyright provides an official avenue for you to trade said official copyright.

otherwise it's just a game of "he said - she said".
 
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