If a person had a one-hit wonder, how much money does he continue to get for that song through the years?

For example: the song Spirit In The Sky by Norman Greenbaum - it went to #3 in 1970, and to this day he says that song still pays all his utility bills. I don't know if he was being sarcastic (to a lesser or greater degree I know not), but that song is still played heavily on classic rock stations, and it is always featured on compilation CD's for 70's Greatest Hits. What could he be pulling in for this one hit song?

good question, wish i had an answer. take this for what it is (fiction) but the whole concept behind the book/movie 'about a boy' is that a son lives off his deceased fathers one hit wonder (a christmas tune) my guess is, the royalties off that hit alone still pay that guys utilities and then some. if you go off of an even more popular hit, i think you'd be pretty set for life (not crazy rich, just no need to really work) someone else can feel free to prove me wrong... or right.

Ill add to the bunch. If you're the writer of that hit, youll make even more dough. My dad wrote a song that I (or I guarantee nobody here either) has or will ever hear on the radio.He wrote it decades ago.It was a song about Disney and I guess they may have played it a few times somewhere (Disneyland maybe?).Anyway, he would get royalty checks periodically from about 25 or so years after he wrote the song.They werent that much money (maybe 100 bucks every blue moon) but I can only imagine what someone would get if they had a real hit that still gets airplay today $$$$$$$.

I co-wrote the song "Don't Call me Dude" and I occasionally get a small royalty check.

There are two kinds of writer's royalties, publishing and writers. The publishing company usually gets 2 points and all of the credited writers get to split the other two points. The split of the 4 points is negociable if I remember correctly. This is why almost ever performer that writes will form their own publishing entity. And this is why Alan Klein is rich. He had the Stones, Aerosmith, Beatles and a whole host of others sign away some or all of their publishing rights to him.

The writers and publishers get royalties for record sales, sheet music, soundtracks and other mechanical reproductions (mech rights) of their songs. The writer also get royalties from ASCAP and/or BMI for their songs being played on the radio, tv and other public venues.

I remember this question coming up before in here, and somebody had also found an Internet link. It seemed like it was much better to be the writer of a hit song rather than the performer of that hit song. The writers get all the royalties that garolo describes, whereas the performers don't get performance royalties (under the argument that radio serves a promotional purpose) and -- in many major-label contracts -- bear the burden of recouping expenditures.

I wouldn't be surprised if Patty Griffin made (and will make) more money from writing two songs on the Dixie Chicks' last album than from Griffin's own last album.

I'm a fan of Steve Poltz, he co-wrote Jewel's song You Were Meant for Me, I've heard him say several times that he gets 6 3/4 cents every time the song is played. Not sure if he was kidding.

Indeed!

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