Mobile/PDA About Us Advertise here


		User name	Password

		Not registered yet? Register here. Lost your password? Click here.

Browse by topic

News

Songwriter claims Google 'exploited' him

11 April 2009 20:51 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 5 comments

Pete Waterman, the songwriter behind the infamous "Never Gonna Give You Up" (performed by Rick Astley), has spoken out about Google recently, claiming the company is "exploiting" him, adding that he received only $16 USD in royalties from the company in the last year, despite the video being viewed 154 million times on YouTube.

In his whining rant, Waterman, whose estimated wealth is over $55 million USD, compared his treatment to that of exploited workers in Dubai.

"There was I sitting at Christmas thinking, 'I must have made a few bob this year with the old Rickrolling'," Waterman said.

"I rang my publisher and they said 'You'll be all right', until I saw the royalty statement. �11.

"If 154 million plays means �11, I get more from Radio Stoke playing Never Gonna Give You Up than I do from YouTube."

For those unfamiliar with "Rickrolling," the recent Internet fad revolved around users sending other Internet users a link that was really a disguised link to the Rick Astley video on YouTube.

"Panorama did a documentary on the exploitation of foreign workers in Dubai," Waterman continued.

"I feel like one of those workers, because I earned less for a year's work off Google or YouTube than they did off the Bahrain government."

Permalink to this article | Topics: MP3 & Digital Audio Online music services

Songwriter groups want downloads classified as public performance (19 September 2009)

Clear Channel revenue plummets in first quarter (19 May 2009)

House committee votes 21-9 in favor of new radio royalties (14 May 2009)

Activision sued over underpaid royalties (1 May 2009)

YouTube RealTime: Spy on your friends (24 April 2009)

AP warns affiliate for embedding YouTube video (11 April 2009)

YouTube, Universal to launch 'Vevo' music video site (9 April 2009)

Full-length Sony films headed to YouTube? (6 April 2009)

YouTube blocks music videos in Germany (2 April 2009)

« Previous news article
MacProVideo offers video training app for iPhone

Next news article »
Yahoo and Microsoft back in talks over ad deal

Post your comment

Discuss this article!
windsong (Junior Member) 12 April 2009 0:29
It must be terrible for him to have only 55 million to spend on himself for christmas. [ + quote]
beanos66 (Junior Member) 12 April 2009 2:19
google is an easier target and more newsworthy than his own publishing company [ + quote]
Bluekkis (Senior Member) 12 April 2009 2:45
So google is paying to publisher and publisher is only giving out 11 pounds... I guess google is to blame when publisher screws you up. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 12 April 2009 2:45
pmaestro (Newbie) 17 April 2009 18:06
*Quote:* "I feel like one of those workers, because I earned less for a year's work off Google or YouTube than they did off the Bahrain government." he earned less for a year's work? how did he do a year's work? he wrote that AWFUL song over 20 years ago, and it's popularity is based on how Awful a song it is. what a douche [ + quote]
philixir (Newbie) 1 May 2009 13:35
Kinda hilarious... Sucks to be that guy.. I think he might need a better team and a better lawyer :) I wouldn't let that happen to me... [ + quote]