Can someone explain how they get paid?

Lots of questions I guess. It appears that the artist gets credit for writing the song, not performing it. (think the 60’s, when many of those artists get no royalties because they go to the songwriter) So, I would say if you wrote the lyrics, you get the credit/royalties. In the case of HC, we know Felder wrote the music, so he gets partial credit (rightfully). Are we to assume in other cases, the person who wrote the lyrics also wrote the music and the other members didn’t contribute at all?

I’m guessing there has to be some kind of modern day performance credit/royalties. I know for touring all the guys make money… but what about the songs on the radio. How do TBS and Joe get paid for The Long Run being played on the radio? They didn’t write it, but they play and sing on it? Do they not get paid?

I have more questions, but let’s start with these, if anyone knows.

This is a pretty complicated question. They have multiple revenue streams which are codified by multiple contracts, none of which are standard because their status allows them to make higher demands... in other words, it's almost impossible to detail all the ways they're getting paid except in the most general terms. I doubt anyone but themselves, their numerous specialized lawyers, and Irving Azoff know all the nuances!

However, if you're looking for some generalized guidelines on what usually happens with royalties, here's a start: How Music Royalties Work

I saw something today that reminded me of this old thread - it's a breakdown of revenue streams for professional musicians, divided by income as the richer musicians make money in different ways from the less successful ones. The Eagles, presumably, would be in the top percentile - even so, their level of success is so high that their income streams probably don't share the same proportions as the average member of the top 1%. At least this gives you an idea.

http://i.imgur.com/yBg1h.png

This data comes from the FMC

Maybe the fact they've been around so long skews the percentages as well? They are still getting royalties and performance money from recordings made 40 years ago.

This is the distribution of the money after the management company, record label, and retail, if I'm reading it correctly?

Yes, I believe so. However, I was examining the data sources (it's the researcher in me) and I noticed that they are depending on surveys for their data. Who filled out the survey? The wealthiest musicians probably threw it in the trash, lol. This is only good at giving you a generalized idea because most of the respondents were probably younger and working-class; thus, the lower you go, the more accurate it becomes.

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Originally Posted by VAisForEagleLovers

Maybe the fact they've been around so long skews the percentages as well? They are still getting royalties and performance money from recordings made 40 years ago.

This is the distribution of the money after the management company, record label, and retail, if I'm reading it correctly?

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They do still get royalties for the recordings made 40 years ago, like each time the song is played on the radio or on a tv show, but I believe it is only the songwriters that make these, not the entire band. That is what I have heard.

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Originally Posted by Topkat

They do still get royalties for the recordings made 40 years ago, like each time the song is played on the radio or on a tv show, but I believe it is only the songwriters that make these, not the entire band. That is what I have heard.

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I don't think they get royalties for regular radio here in the US? I'm pretty sure that's what I've read. Most countries pay royalties and satellite radio and internet radio here in the US. This is the only country that I know of where large corporations can make money from other people's copyrighted material without having to pay for it, and this is only in radio. Other types of copyrighted material aren't free use. I've often wondered if it was songwriters only that got the royalties, or if it's a split, or even if it's different by country or even different by type (internet or satellite radio).

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Originally Posted by VAisForEagleLovers

I don't think they get royalties for regular radio here in the US? I'm pretty sure that's what I've read. Most countries pay royalties and satellite radio and internet radio here in the US. This is the only country that I know of where large corporations can make money from other people's copyrighted material without having to pay for it, and this is only in radio. Other types of copyrighted material aren't free use. I've often wondered if it was songwriters only that got the royalties, or if it's a split, or even if it's different by country or even different by type (internet or satellite radio).

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I heard an interview with Pete Townshend, (who writes the songs for the Who).
The CSI tv show uses 3 different Who songs as their theme songs & show intros. Pete gets paid every time an episode of CSI is aired & in other countries as well, but Roger who sings the songs does not. Apparently Pete makes quite a bit of money from this.
This is the reason most singers & bands want to write their own material because that is where the money is. Band members, even lead singers don't get the royalties unless they have writing credit.
I didn't know that radio doesn't pay, but that's entirely possible. In fact it is even probable that record companies pay the radio stations to play songs, so that they become hits.....The old "Payola" game that has been around forever, probably still goes on.:eyebrow:

Here is an article published yesterday and updated today about how much an artist gets from online streaming. It discusses just a little about the difference between the artist and the songwriter's cut.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/bu...ayspaper&_r=1&