Printable version of thread

Posted by: vidcapper 26th April 2017, 06:58 AM

No, this isn't another thread about how many artists should be credited on a single.

This is about *who* gets the lead credit, IMO it should be the main singer, as they's what generally sells a song - but what do you think?

Posted by: danG 26th April 2017, 07:00 AM

It should be based on who's album campaign the song belongs to. If it's taken from the producer's album then I see no reason why the singer should take the lead credit over the producer. (I know producers don't always have albums but you get the idea)

Posted by: vidcapper 26th April 2017, 07:05 AM

What if it appears on both artist's albums?

Posted by: Tombo 26th April 2017, 07:10 AM

It depends on the song, songs with a producer as a lead artist usually have more interesting production elements in it which I feel warrant them getting the lead. Also, if it is on their album or their creation then I don't see why they don't deserve it.

Posted by: danG 26th April 2017, 07:12 AM

Depends on who the more prominent artist is, who's album campaign it is being pushed as part of (see Clean Bandit getting the lead credit on 'Symphony', it's on the featured artist's album too but is being promoted as a Clean Bandit single)

Posted by: 360Jupiter 26th April 2017, 08:51 PM

I'm guessing in the past producers didn't put out albums so it was a non-issue?

Since they do now though, and function as artists in themselves, then they should be credited.

I also suspect money is involved somewhere...isn't it the case that the credited main artist makes more than the featured artist out of sales of the song, while the featured artist lets themself be credited only as a feature in order to take a risk in doing a new kind of music, or to try and reach a different audience?

On the flipside, there's also the fact that producer-DJs didn't used to have to worry about featuring an artist, because their tracks featured session singers rather than already well-known singers. Looking at it that way, giving them credit at all could be seen as a new generosity compared to the situation in the past.

Posted by: awardinary 26th April 2017, 11:51 PM

More and more these days I see artists "sharing" the credit by appearing in the following formats;

"Artist 1 & Artist 2"
Recent Example: Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa – Scared To Be Lonely

"Artist 1 x Artist 2"
Recent Example: Craig David x Big Narstie – When The Bassline Drops

"Artist 1 vs Artist 2"
Recent Example: Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners – This Girl

Admittedly not all those are recent but you get the point!

Not sure if any other shared concepts exist.

Posted by: Bjork 27th April 2017, 06:29 AM

I think it also depends on who writes/makes the song... I mean, if I'm a band or singer and write a song, do everything, words, music, and then invite someone to sing on it, then that person should be feature because it's clearly not his/her song...like if Clean Bandit do a song, everything, words, lyrics, then Syco forces Louisa to sing on the song... why Louisa should be the lead singer?