How Famous Songs Written by Other Artists Generate Revenue
Many top songs are written by professional songwriters who are not the performing artists. These writers earn royalties from streaming, radio play, and licensing. Major publishers such as Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony Music Publishing, and Warner Chappell Music administer large catalogs of songs written for other artists. According to a recent report by Forbes, global recorded music revenues reached an estimated 28.6 billion dollars in 2024, with mechanical and performance royalties forming a large share of that total.
Songwriters behind famous tracks for other artists often receive upfront fees and ongoing performance royalties. In the United States, the SEC filings of public music companies show how publishing catalogs are valued and traded. Mechanical royalties are collected by organizations such as the Harry Fox Agency in the U.S. and MCPS in the U.K., while performance royalties are collected by PROs like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
Iconic Examples of Famous Songs Written by Other Artists
Songs That Defined Careers Written by External Writers
Several landmark songs were written by external writers and given to other artists. "Hallelujah" was written by Leonard Cohen and later popularized by Jeff Buckley and others. "I Will Always Love You" was written by Dolly Parton and made famous by Whitney Houston. "Without You" was written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger and became a hit for Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey.
These songs often generate long tail royalties because they are covered, sampled, and streamed for decades. Streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music distribute performance royalties based on market share and listener data. According to a report by Music Business Worldwide, global recorded music streaming revenues exceeded 17 billion dollars in 2023, making streaming the dominant revenue source for publishers and songwriters.
How Songwriters Are Credited and Paid for Famous Songs Written by Other Artists
Credits, Splits, and Royalty Structures
Songwriting credits are determined by who wrote the lyrics and/or melody. In many cases, a single writer or a small team writes a song that is then recorded by another artist. Mechanical royalties are typically split among co-writers based on agreed percentages, while performance royalties are tracked by PROs and distributed to registered songwriters and publishers.
Major labels and distributors such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group work with publishing arms to ensure credits are correctly registered. Digital platforms like DistroKid and TuneCore allow independent artists and writers to distribute music and collect royalties directly. Accurate metadata and ISRC codes help ensure that writers of famous songs written by other artists receive correct payments across global markets.