While hit recording artists get the
glamour, it is typically their songwriting counterparts who lock-in a
financially secure future. Songwriters have multiple music licensing opportunities
and can often live on royalties from hit songs for decades. In contrast, a recording artist’s royalties
may dry up just a few years after release of a hit CD.
artists, royalties paid through record labels have historically been a primary
income stream. As sales of physical CDs
decline, recording artists seek new sources of music-related revenue.