Even if you don't know Kara DioGuardi's name, but you likely know at least one song she's written. Ashlee Simpson's "Pieces Of Me," Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl," and Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" are just a few hits credited to her. The music biz veteran has certainly written some sad songs, but I don't think she's written any emo songs. And yet, she's mistakenly credited as a writer on Football, Etc.'s most popular song "Safety" on Spotify.
"My heart sank when I saw a name credited that I did not recognize on our song 'Safety,'" the band wrote on Instagram Sunday. "Only on this song. You know, our one song with over one million streams on Spotify. And we have no idea how long this has been like this, or how many royalties (of the mere pennies we might have earned) have gone to BMG. Fuck you @spotifyforartists."
Spotify For Artists is the tool artists use to manage their accounts on the streaming platform, but it still has its limits -- and, clearly, its faults. With regards to royalty payouts, one comment on Football, Etc.'s post reads: "Royalties are typically reconciled with your PRO. So the incorrect user facing credit likely would not have affected royalty payments."
So maybe this situation isn't quite as dire as it may sound, but either way, it's another aggravating misstep on Spotify's part. Still, the tech giant's stock is currently booming, having just had its first full year of profitability. They're also considering adding a $5.99 monthly premium on top of existing subscriptions for higher-quality audio, remixing tools, and access to concert tickets.
Apropos of nothing, here's Football, Etc.'s Bandcamp.
UPDATE: a Spotify spokesperson tells Stereogum that “the issue is fixed now, which resulted from incorrect metadata from a music publisher. Neither mechanical or performance royalties are paid based on the text credits displayed in the ‘View Credits’ window.”
