Royalty Riches: The Top 10 Songs That Rake in Millions.

Plus, this one has some songs that you can’t even imagine earn money, and worse, that earn so much!

First, an explanation.

Every time someone plays or reproduces a song, two types of rights are owed.

The authorial, which is what we pay to the author, the person who sat down and created the music, note by note, lyric by lyric.

And the mechanical, when it’s the case of the music coming on music platforms like Spotify, CDs, mp3, or something like that, from a record label. This is the money we pay to the record label, which owns the phonogram, the music that’s recorded there.

If the artist performs the music live, only the authorial right is paid, since the mechanical doesn’t exist in this case.

Got it?

Radio and TV pay authorial and mechanical. When the artist goes on radio or TV and plays live, only the authorial is paid.

Simple as that.

So, if you want to earn good money with music, you don’t need to be a famous artist. You have to be a good composer/lyricist. And the key is to compose and be friends with artists. Also, praying that the music becomes popular and lasts for years and years and years.

As is the case with these from the Top 10 list:

10 – Mel Torme – “The Christmas Song” (1944).

Estimated earnings: US$19 million.

Christmas song, American hit. Every time it plays, since ’44, a little cash drops into Torme’s account.

9. Roy Orbison & Bill Dees – “Oh Pretty Woman” (1964).

Estimated earnings: US$19.75 million

8. Sting – “Every Breath You Take” (1983).

Estimated earnings: US$20.5 million

This song was a MEGA hit in the 80s. And it probably gets re-recorded even today, not counting Diddy’s version “I’ll be missing you” (but we don’t talk about Diddy here for obvious reasons). Just from these Lounge’n’Bossa albums, there are about 5 to 10 versions, right?

7. Haven Gillespie & Fred J Coots – “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (1934).

Estimated earnings: US$25 million

Another one that everyone plays and re-records. Any Christmas album has to have this song. Even Michael Bublé re-recorded it.

6. Ben E King, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller – “Stand By Me” (1961).

Estimated earnings: US$27 million

There’s nothing to say, right? Any beginner student of any musical instrument can play this song backwards and with their eyes closed. A classic. John Lennon re-recorded it, Seal, Play for Change and a looooot more people.

5. Alex North & Hy Zaret – “Unchained Melody” (1955).

Estimated earnings: US$27.5 million

Another classic. And, contrary to popular belief, it’s not a Bill Medley song. Bill Medley was just the interpreter of this melody, with the Righteous Brothers.

4. John Lennon and Paul McCartney – “Yesterday” (1965).

Estimated earnings: US$30 million

One of the many classics from the duo. Also recorded and re-recorded by God and everyone. The original name of this song was “Scrambled Eggs“. Yes.

3. Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector – “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin” (1964).

Estimated earnings: US$32 million

A surprise for me. Obviously it’s been successful since ’64, was re-recorded many times, used in movies and commercials, but I didn’t imagine it would make so much money. Nice, it shows that you can make money with a simple and efficient song. Also in the voice of the Righteous Brothers.

2. Irving Berlin – “White Christmas” (1940).

Estimated earnings: US$36 million

Another Christmas one. I guess it’s the emotionality that makes people listen and record it, right? That vibe…

1. Hill Sisters – “Happy Birthday” (1893).

Estimated earnings: US$50 million

Yes, that mischievous Happy Birthday that you sing at the office, at the bar, anywhere, earns money every time it’s played.

However, this royalty information is outdated.

In 2015, a significant change occurred regarding the copyright status of “Happy Birthday.”

In September 2015, U.S. District Judge George H. King ruled that Warner/Chappell Music’s copyright claim was invalid. The court determined that the original copyright, granted in 1935, only covered specific piano arrangements of the song, not its lyrics.

Following this ruling, in February 2016, Warner/Chappell Music settled for $14 million, and the song was officially declared to be in the public domain in the United States. This means that “Happy Birthday” is now free for public use without any royalty payments or fear of copyright infringement.

As a result:

• The song no longer generates royalties for any copyright holder.

• It can be freely used in movies, TV shows, and public performances without any cost.

• Restaurants and other establishments can now use the original “Happy Birthday” song without needing to create alternative versions.

This landmark decision effectively ended over 80 years of copyright claims on one of the world’s most popular songs, making it freely available for everyone to use and enjoy.

Cheers,

Billy.