MIDiA Research Presents Results from First-Ever Songwriter Survey

Songwriters, although often referred to as the backbone of the music industry, have historically been under-recognised, under-appreciated, and underpaid.

MIDiA Research’s landmark report “Songwriters take the stage”, based on its first-ever survey of more than 300 songwriters, reveals key insights into their income distribution, challenges, and needs, and offers recommendations for how the publishing industry can better support them.

The report highlights a significant income disparity among songwriters, similar to that faced by recording artists. Only 10% of surveyed songwriters earn more than $30,000 annually, while over half (54%) earn between $0 and $1,000. A significant 67% of respondents identify the “lack of meaningful streaming income” as their primary challenge, a concern that spans all income levels and career stages.

For most songwriters, success is defined by creative fulfilment (67%) and earning a sustainable living from their craft (61%). Just over one-third view landing significant sync deals as a marker of success. Sync opportunities, while critical to the publishing industry, are even more sought-after by songwriters today.

The report also uncovers a disconnect between what songwriters want to achieve and the tools and services they seek. While many desire sync opportunities, they do not necessarily consider sync services a primary reason for signing a publishing deal. Similarly, songwriters express a desire to improve their skills but often do not seek out available resources. Publishers must consider these nuances to effectively meet songwriters’ needs and ensure the success of new services through targeted marketing that demonstrates value.

While back-end royalties revenue still makes up the majority of their income, songwriters achieve sustainable full-time income by growing their front-end revenue streams, such as works for hire and in-studio fees. Mariami Bibilouri, a singer-songwriter who sustains her business through higher upfront fees and selling her skills on online marketplaces, shared: “I don’t look to streaming as my solution.” She added, “people will approach me and say this song is going to do really well, we’ll do a 50/50 split [to keep the upfront price lower]. Well, that doesn’t work for me.” She highlighted that the only way to make her career sustainable is by treating her songwriting work as an entrepreneurial endeavour.

The report underscores the need for marketplaces to evolve into one-stop shops where songwriters can find collaborators, create demos, and sell them, including assistance with split contracts, similar to what BandLab has done for artists.

Additionally, the majority of songwriters across age groups aim to build a brand and fanbase around their songwriting on social media. While not all songwriters aspire to be famous, many seek acknowledgment for their work and wish to build an image, whether for monetisation or simply for recognition.

Tatiana Cirisano, senior music industry analyst at MIDiA Research said, “Songwriters are often underrepresented in music industry dialogue, and that extends to the research field. There are many studies on and surveys of artists, helping build the flourishing artist services market we have today, but the same is not true for songwriters. This report is a crucial step in better understanding the business of being a songwriter — especially in an era where many songwriters are also performers, yet have different aspirations and needs for these two sides to their craft.”

Fernanda Balzaretti, music researcher at MIDiA Research said, “Songwriters are a crucial building block of the music industry yet are often overlooked. In this fast-paced era, understanding the business of being a songwriter benefits everyone. This report opens the floor to speak about songwriters’ challenges, needs, and goals, but most importantly, take action. Although not all songwriters wish to become a face to the public, they all increasingly want recognition and their voices heard and acknowledged.”

The “Songwriter takes the stage report” is available here. You can download a free summary of the report here.