We often assume that singers write their owns songs. But, as evidenced by plenty of public feuds and lawsuits, this is more often not the case. Even the most talented musicians hire a songwriter, if not a team of songwriters, to come up with their next hit.
It’s unclear who makes more money in the long run—songwriters or singers. People at Pop Song University argue that, over the years, songwriters typically make more than singers, unless those singers are massive global stars. This is because, in addition to royalties, they get paid per song. And, the better the songwriter’s reputation for crafting a hit, the more per song she or he gets paid.
That’s not to say that singers can’t also be famous songwriters! From Joni Mitchell with her iconic hit “Woodstock'”, to songwriter Carole King, who has had hundreds of songs reach the Billboard Hot 100, the names you’ll see on this list are all pop culture favorites who have made themselves famous for their art, both pen-to-paper and vocally. Needless to say, they also collect a pretty penny from all those royalties.
