Why do you love your favorite song? The genius word plays in the lyrics? The catchy chorus? The overall message that resonates with you? This is the work of songwriters. But, for so long in the music industry, songwriters have given their sweat, blood, and tears to popular singers in exchange for little to no recognition.

This issue was first brought to my attention through Season 2 of NBC’s Songland. The premise of the show is to provide undiscovered songwriters the chance to present one of their songs to a famous guest artist, which changes with each episode. Four songwriters perform, three are matched with successful producer-songwriters Ryan Tedder, Ester Dean, and Shane McAnnally, and after a final performance, the guest artist picks one winning song to perform and release.

From the first episode I watched, I was immediately riveted by how the songs transformed in the span of an hour with the input of the guest artist and the guidance of the professional producers. All of the songs that are presented are stunning, with catchy choruses, clever verses, and music that can run in your head for hours. It’s sadly unsurprising that many of these people have been working as ghost writers, songwriters who write parts of songs but are not officially credited. The show itself does a brilliant job in capturing the creative process of this often thankless task, and has run two seasons thus far.

But, although the concept of the show is brilliant, one thing some viewers have noticed is that the monetary aspect of the songs is never discussed. What royalties do the songwriters get, if any? Is the prize just recognition? Is recognition alone an acceptable prize?

These relatively unanswered questions become more important considering how the advancement of technology has affected the music industry. People now are streaming their favorite tunes on apps like YouTube and iTunes, rather than buying the whole album. Therefore, in the words of songwriter Andrew Watt, who has played a part in the creation of popular songs for Justin Bieber, Kygo, DJ Snake, and Selena Gomez, “if you’re not writing the hit off the album, you’re [screwed].” 

Thankfully, as the public has started to become more aware of the presence of songwriters, the popularity of singer-songwriters has spiked. Singer-songwriters like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Charlie Puth have risen to fame partially because it is well-known that they do write their own songs, rather than taking advantage of songwriters and ghostwriters.

In tandem with this development, some writers are starting to push for more artist credit. One example is songwriter and producer Benny Blanco, who was credited as the third lead artist on Halsey and Khalid’s single “Eastside” despite not actually singing in it. 

So while there technically isn’t complete poetic justice for songwriters yet, the movement to turn the tide is upon us. After all, without songwriters there wouldn’t even be a music industry, and like everyone else, they deserve just compensation for their heartfelt lyrics and intellectual property.

The next time you’re bored and scrolling through Spotify, try listening to a singer-songwriter. Who knows—maybe you’ll find a new songwriter you really like!

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